The Republican congress know what they have in Trump: An unhinged lunatic. But, an unhinged lunatic with a pen to sign off on all their legislation. Don't bite the pen that feeds you!
196
I love reading you Krugman.
153
I just watched Donald Trump walking on the White House lawn with his privileged grandchildren, presumably to show him as a caring grandfather.
It was followed by a gut wrenching video of a sobbing girl watching her father arrested by ICE, likely to be deported soon.
My heart is broken.
It was followed by a gut wrenching video of a sobbing girl watching her father arrested by ICE, likely to be deported soon.
My heart is broken.
288
Yup. Now how do we fix it? I'm not sure we can wait 4 years.
106
The first 45 days of the Trump presidency, including the unsupported Tweet that President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower, have shown that the divisions of our political parties are so extreme, we need a new lexicon of terms.
1) “Investigation” of a Republican politician means “covering up.”
2) “Investigation” of a Democrat means “framing.”
3) “Patriotism” for a Republican means “loyalty to the G.O.P.”
4) “Patriotism” for a Democrat still means “loyalty to the country.”
5) “Immigration Reform” for a Republican means “making America whiter and more Christian.”
6) “Immigration Reform” for a Democrat means “taking advantage of the diversity and talents of people from any and all countries.”
7) “Tax Reform” for Republicans means “maintaining and increasing the wealth disparity of 400 American families having more that Americans in the bottom 50%.”
8) “Tax Reform” for Democrats “reducing the wealth disparity in America.”
9) “Health Care Insurance Reform” for Republicans means “eliminate Obamacare, but give people of modest means the chance to buy insurance they cannot afford to buy.”
10) “Health Care Insurance Reform” for Democrats means “keep Obamacare, but improve the incentives for participation of insurers, young healthy Americans and small businesses.”
Democrats and Independents would like to have more brave Republicans join them by changing the current G.O.P. definitions in the lexicon.
1) “Investigation” of a Republican politician means “covering up.”
2) “Investigation” of a Democrat means “framing.”
3) “Patriotism” for a Republican means “loyalty to the G.O.P.”
4) “Patriotism” for a Democrat still means “loyalty to the country.”
5) “Immigration Reform” for a Republican means “making America whiter and more Christian.”
6) “Immigration Reform” for a Democrat means “taking advantage of the diversity and talents of people from any and all countries.”
7) “Tax Reform” for Republicans means “maintaining and increasing the wealth disparity of 400 American families having more that Americans in the bottom 50%.”
8) “Tax Reform” for Democrats “reducing the wealth disparity in America.”
9) “Health Care Insurance Reform” for Republicans means “eliminate Obamacare, but give people of modest means the chance to buy insurance they cannot afford to buy.”
10) “Health Care Insurance Reform” for Democrats means “keep Obamacare, but improve the incentives for participation of insurers, young healthy Americans and small businesses.”
Democrats and Independents would like to have more brave Republicans join them by changing the current G.O.P. definitions in the lexicon.
350
Does this mean that Krugman is in favor of the BAT? I think that it will cause severe dislocations and an increase in the cost of living for the middle class and lower.
5
Republicans represent the "best" type of politician who can talk out of both sides of their mouth at the same time. Freedom! Freedom! Freedom to choose your health plan, Freedom from the shackles of regulation! But God help someone who wants the freedom to vote when it's best for them, like on a Sunday, or a woman who want the freedom to choose whether or not to carry a pregnancy, It's freedom for the haves to do what they want, and it's your fault if you don't, in that case, we'll tell you what you can and can't do.
110
The same can be said about the liberal opposition. Thank you.
11
McConnell and Ryan book ending Trump, showing their smug little smiles.
The amount of shame and disgust to be heaped upon those two is incalculible
The amount of shame and disgust to be heaped upon those two is incalculible
229
"The best way to combat perceptions that you’re screwing up is, you know, to stop screwing up."
You see, 45 is making things so much more complicated than they need to be.
Just act honorably and in the best interests of the American people, and the tides will turn.
You see, 45 is making things so much more complicated than they need to be.
Just act honorably and in the best interests of the American people, and the tides will turn.
37
Trump's claim that "no-one knew that healthcare was so complicated" tells us pretty much what we need to know. The Republicans don't know how to DO anything, only how to UNDO it. Trump has been busy reversing anything with President Obama's name on it, simply BECAUSE it has Obama's name on it. And Republicans at every level seem determined to govern based on ideology and economic self-interest rather than reality and public service.
201
Nailed it, Krugman. They are not fit to govern, only to destroy and pillage. This should now be clear to anyone with a working brain.
184
WEll, if your are correct, then the picture that accompanys this article says it as well--trump loks like he can barely keep up while ryan and and mcgonigal, with their supercillious smiles just ate the tax canary.
70
Mr. Krugman, and Others! Please check Robert J. Sternberg, Psychologist, regarding his books--"Why Smart People Do Stupid Things," and "Handbook of Wisdom." His co-authors nail it.
10
Another spot on terrific column by Mr Krugman. thank you, keep em coming.
61
"Pro tip: The best way to combat perceptions that you’re screwing up is, you know, to stop screwing up."
Thank you! Also, the best way to combat perceptions that you're racist is, you know, not to act like or vote for an unapologetic racist.
And the best way to combat perceptions that you lie is, you know, to stop lying.
Thank you! Also, the best way to combat perceptions that you're racist is, you know, not to act like or vote for an unapologetic racist.
And the best way to combat perceptions that you lie is, you know, to stop lying.
110
Trump's secret tax plan: exchange dollars for rubles. He's going to need rubles when he goes into exile in Russia fleeing an arrest warrant. How do you say "lock him up" in Russian?
52
I can only hope that this brings down Ryan and McConnell at the same time.
93
Why those three look like stooges is ironic; Moe, Larry and Curley (or even Shemp) would do a better job than Mitch, Donald and Paul.
47
Look at the smug looks on Ryan and McConnell in the picture here. They tell you everything you need to know to be revolted by their behavior.
77
I have said this before... please spend the time it takes you to write your brilliant comments and help mobilize the vote for 2018!!!
41
Dr. Krugman, I take issue with your headline
The G.O.P. is not fit to govern.
Witness the smirking economist-wannabe Ryan. He can't even get the C.B.O. is endorse his many lame proposals that he has burdened the CBO with over the years.
The G.O.P. is not fit to govern.
Witness the smirking economist-wannabe Ryan. He can't even get the C.B.O. is endorse his many lame proposals that he has burdened the CBO with over the years.
42
Now, how do you make the Republican base realize this? - after all, what Krugman says isn't new... It's decades old.
45
The 'oppressed job creators' put current federal & state governments in power.
17
A Party- not Willing to govern.
25
Where's the big ACA fix? Big complaints from Grassley, Hatch, McConnell who have had plenty of time to jump on the ACA and Kiddie Kar Ryan, boy genius all destroyed HUD's first time mortgage advantage leave potential first time homeowners at the mercy of banks, again, after they let the banks off the hook and bailed everyone out.
So happy are they that fracking, mining, hog farming, patented soy seeds by Monsanto all flourish, destroying our water table in the process. Chemically engineered congress and senate brought to you by Citizens United. See how they run, Lady Madonna, the piggies.
So happy are they that fracking, mining, hog farming, patented soy seeds by Monsanto all flourish, destroying our water table in the process. Chemically engineered congress and senate brought to you by Citizens United. See how they run, Lady Madonna, the piggies.
38
By the current state of affairs they WILL ram both a raw (half baked sounds generous) Health Care Law and a few billions of tax relief on the poor helpless billionaires. I wonder at what kind of brutal, violent social backlash we'll have to look forward to when the millions who voted these Apparatchik into power realize they've been duped AND there's no viable political alternative.
25
And Paul, I love you, but I have to ask --- I see that universal care is back in the discussion. I'm wondering, if you will, once again take me to the mountain top and throw me off - guilty of "happy dreams..... and destructive self-indulgence"?
5
Steve Bannon has claimed his influence by Julius Evola and Charles Maurras but there is an American historian and white supremacist philosopher,graduate magna cum laude from Harvard,whose ideology ressembles strikingly to the Trump'a administration' orientation. His name was Lothrop Stoddard .
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lothrop_Stoddard
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lothrop_Stoddard
5
TRUMPS RAZOR: The stupidest explanation, is the most likely.
43
Wow! Paul Krugman bashing Republicans? What next? Sean Hannity bashing Democrats?
4
That photo: Larry, Moe and Curly. Without the charm, and humor. Bigly.
26
Trump is a screw-up? Nawww...he's more of an undertaker. His presidency is like America's coffin, each republican proposal is another nail, and he uses his tweets to dig the hole.
21
"The idea, apparently, is to deal with these problems by passing the plan before anyone gets a chance to really see or think about what’s in it. Good luck with that."
Would that be like the way Obamacare came about in the first place? Like when Pelosi stated "you have to pass it to see what's in it?"
Please make your arguments. But enough with the hypocrisy that drools from this once proud newspaper. I subscribe to this paper because it used to be the go to paper for fairly unbiased news written by more than capable writers. Yet no it seems there could be an article written about nuns serving in the middle of nowhere and the writer would interject his opinion about POTUS and his deplorable, stupid supporters.
Would that be like the way Obamacare came about in the first place? Like when Pelosi stated "you have to pass it to see what's in it?"
Please make your arguments. But enough with the hypocrisy that drools from this once proud newspaper. I subscribe to this paper because it used to be the go to paper for fairly unbiased news written by more than capable writers. Yet no it seems there could be an article written about nuns serving in the middle of nowhere and the writer would interject his opinion about POTUS and his deplorable, stupid supporters.
5
Thank you again and keep the wisdom coming!
17
Schadenfreude. I am enjoying this aspect at least immensely.
11
Nailed it.
11
That's a picture worth a thousand words!
6
America now has it's IL Duce and it will pay a terrible price for the folly of its choice. The Republican Party only cares about maintaining power - democracy be damned. What will post apocalypse America look like?
18
Just kidding around after viewing the photo. Doesn't Ryan look like Eddie Munster all grown up?
24
Say what you want about George W Bush but you never questioned his patriotism, he never colluded with hostile foreign powers.
21
Couldn't resist blaming Comey, yet again?
Give it up. It detracts from what is otherwise a good column.
Give it up. It detracts from what is otherwise a good column.
8
Voting is THE most important obligation of Citizens in a Democracy. It must be performed soberly and thoughtfully. Done like the parent; not like the petulant self-centered child.
Voting is NOT some game; it is NOT some spectator sport; it is NOT some trivial thing that digests down to apathy or one issue rage. It is NOT some way to wage war against windmills.
It is NOT some experiment that seeks to defy the laws of physics/economics/human psychology. It is NOT some act outside of a broad context past, present, and future that must be considered wisely.
Voting is NOT a joke or a way to "get at" someone or something. It is NOT SOLELY some way to personally achieve personal redress or personal gain or personal matters of faith.
No, voting is the seminal way Citizens can help make this Nation, the Environment, and Mankind viable, content, peaceful, workable, and truly livable. And it is important at every level in every locale.
The bleak story is we fail at voting; either we don't vote or too often pull levers without clinical impartiality/judgment.
The brighter story is that most of us IF we did actually take it clinically serious and voted would mostly make good and proper decisions.
I say anything less than 64% EVTO gives the fringe elements a good chance at power. Not a good thing.
Consider REAL challenges, problems, opportunities, candidate qualifications, plans, framework, world view, character; VOTE like our survival depends on it! It is NOT a game!
Voting is NOT some game; it is NOT some spectator sport; it is NOT some trivial thing that digests down to apathy or one issue rage. It is NOT some way to wage war against windmills.
It is NOT some experiment that seeks to defy the laws of physics/economics/human psychology. It is NOT some act outside of a broad context past, present, and future that must be considered wisely.
Voting is NOT a joke or a way to "get at" someone or something. It is NOT SOLELY some way to personally achieve personal redress or personal gain or personal matters of faith.
No, voting is the seminal way Citizens can help make this Nation, the Environment, and Mankind viable, content, peaceful, workable, and truly livable. And it is important at every level in every locale.
The bleak story is we fail at voting; either we don't vote or too often pull levers without clinical impartiality/judgment.
The brighter story is that most of us IF we did actually take it clinically serious and voted would mostly make good and proper decisions.
I say anything less than 64% EVTO gives the fringe elements a good chance at power. Not a good thing.
Consider REAL challenges, problems, opportunities, candidate qualifications, plans, framework, world view, character; VOTE like our survival depends on it! It is NOT a game!
39
Spot on!
7
The GOP couldn't "govern" in 1981 either. The amiable White House dunce smiled a lot and saluted the flag.
Within a few months he and his GOP enablers bankrupted the country ON PURPOSE, and we've been haunted by it ever since.
Heck of a job!
Within a few months he and his GOP enablers bankrupted the country ON PURPOSE, and we've been haunted by it ever since.
Heck of a job!
48
I the man in Mar-a-Lago doesn't want "everyone thinking his Presidency is screwed-up", maybe he should stop screwing-up his Presidency?
13
Remember Paul, that of you and the Democratic establishment hadn't sabotaged Bernie, we would have a Democrat in the White House and probably a majority in the Senate. This bears repeating every time you bemoan the Deplorable Donald.
20
TRUMPS COROLLARY: First deny, proceed to LIE.
25
I quote "Q" (from Star Trek the Next Generation): The hall is rented, the band is engaged and,now, it is time to dance.
7
If corporations get any tax breaks in the future, it should only be for wages of domestic employees---the wages of the bottom half earners, not the high earners. Otherwise they will further loot the company and get a tax break to do so).
There should also be local taxes on robots, to make up the lack of employees' contribution to local funding needs...road repairs, infrastructure etc.
The corporate free ride needs to end before it drains the last drop of vitality from our communities.
There should also be local taxes on robots, to make up the lack of employees' contribution to local funding needs...road repairs, infrastructure etc.
The corporate free ride needs to end before it drains the last drop of vitality from our communities.
18
I do trust you, Mr. Krugman. Your column has been a light in my life for years.
11
What? Repealing the ACA requires a plan? Who knew! I must say, however, that after all the years of barking about it, I'm surprised that the GOP has no bone to offer. Could it be that because many of their constituents, who were not aware that ACA = Obamacare, and that willingly signed up for ACA, could it be that they have woken up on at least this matter, and decided that one of the things they were screaming about the loudest: get rid of Obamacare, was in fact a bullet in their own foot? Now, if we could only get them to understand also what crazy looks like.....
18
What a two party system we have. Republicans refuse to govern and democrats exist only as a comparison model. It's like having a Ford and a Chevy, neither of which even has an engine in it and of course will not run. But hey, you have a choice! Don't you?
8
If only we had a Trump Hogwash-to-Truth Translation Machine...
Input:
"Nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated..."
Output:
"Nobody without a functioning brain cell (my constituency) knew healthcare could be so complicated."
Input:
"Nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated..."
Output:
"Nobody without a functioning brain cell (my constituency) knew healthcare could be so complicated."
14
Advice to Republicans: if you don't like government, stay the heck away.
12
Mr. Krugman what about the market meltdown that you so often predicted?
4
I am gonna miss The Donald. It is fun to watch him turn Paul Ryan's ears red!
8
I'm tired of both sides. Neither represents me. And Trump is the cancer that arose out of the bubbling, steaming, blistering wound that is congress. The only hope is that Trump blows it up so badly that we have to start over from scratch. And when that happens, I hope someone has the good sense to make the American dollar worthless. Let it all collapse. Let the Phoenix rise.
4
Did Donald Trump attend any of his college classes? Learn anything? Or maybe he did like Rodney Dangerfield in "Back to School" and just hired somebody to attend his classes for him.
Even a high school graduate or a high school drop out will question everything that they hear on the radio, see on TV, or read in a newspaper?
Even a high school graduate or a high school drop out will question everything that they hear on the radio, see on TV, or read in a newspaper?
13
Let us call the Republican party for what it is - A Roundtable of Idiots
19
Politico the leftist, extremist publication is like a Breitbart comparison; get real.
1
No wonder Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey is bowing out. They can't hold a candle to this circus.
25
Dr. Krugman, Are the GOP and Democrats discussing/debating your points?
1
Paul, passing a law to find out "what's in it" is Pelosi's expertise. Quit projecting.
1
Nearly everyone has had the misfortune to report to a "just do it" Manager who has some "grand vision" but not a clue how to actually get anything done. This is the group running the country right now. It will take years to clean up this mess!
9
A party not ready to grow up, past toddler stage.
4
Great picture! Three Blind Mice or perhaps Three Stooges... really more like three faces of evil. Deplorable and insulting to all Americans.
9
So the Trump administration hasn't written, passed and implemented all of its campaign promises in 6 weeks and your conclusion is that they aren't ready to govern? This is the best you have?
4
Oh and don't forget the bridge on the other side of town is about to fall down.
3
A voice cried out to me, "Be still! It could be a lot worse." And I was still, and it got a lot worse...
9
Donald Trump needs to resign and go back to starring in "The Celebrity Apprentice" where he belongs!
11
Although the Democratic Party has many fine Representatives and Senators I fear there may be existing commitments within the party that I am unaware of and which I cannot support.
Thus I favor formation of a new, or at least different, party (Green?, Progressive? etc.) that embodies the principles of Indivisible and Our Revolution.
Present-day Democrats would be encouraged to continue their service to Progressive causes, but under the aegis of the new party and with no existing commitments to others.
Thus I favor formation of a new, or at least different, party (Green?, Progressive? etc.) that embodies the principles of Indivisible and Our Revolution.
Present-day Democrats would be encouraged to continue their service to Progressive causes, but under the aegis of the new party and with no existing commitments to others.
2
Tax avoidance and slashing IRS funding are two different things. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, tax evasion is not. However, slashing IRS funding will make prosecuting tax evasion harder as they have less resources. Nonetheless, everyone practices tax avoidance (taking credits and breaks when allowed to) whether or not the IRS has funds.
Trump's incompetence is a life-saver in many regards. Despite having a rubber-stamp Congress, he can't manage to get anything done and is constantly bouncing back and forth from one self-induced crisis to the other.
Trump is a showman. He has no substance. He can't think through complex policy. His entire life is built around selling an image, not substance.
Congress is also incompetent. The majority of Republicans never had to work on policy and consensus building. They were elected to howl at Obama, not pass actual policy.
Trump and GOP Congress have the potential to do a lot of damage, particularly manifesting over time (e.g. financial and environmental deregulation). Thankfully we are currently being saved to a degree by their sheer incompetence and self-inflicted crises.
Trump's incompetence is a life-saver in many regards. Despite having a rubber-stamp Congress, he can't manage to get anything done and is constantly bouncing back and forth from one self-induced crisis to the other.
Trump is a showman. He has no substance. He can't think through complex policy. His entire life is built around selling an image, not substance.
Congress is also incompetent. The majority of Republicans never had to work on policy and consensus building. They were elected to howl at Obama, not pass actual policy.
Trump and GOP Congress have the potential to do a lot of damage, particularly manifesting over time (e.g. financial and environmental deregulation). Thankfully we are currently being saved to a degree by their sheer incompetence and self-inflicted crises.
23
I agree with the points made in the article. But here is a question: Is the Democratic Party ready to govern?
3
It will only get worse as this bus gets closer to the cliff without a driver. More and more government operations will fail , because POTUS would rather golf than fill the vacancies he is suppose to appoint. The real problem is his failure, fails us all. Sad!
2
Here's a question: how come the Democrats consistently keep losing to the crazies and nitwits that are the Republicans?
2
Paul, thanks for your concern.
However, it is highly unlikely that a Trump administration will pay any attention whatsoever to your partisan rambling, so the country is safe.
However, it is highly unlikely that a Trump administration will pay any attention whatsoever to your partisan rambling, so the country is safe.
True, and too gently put.
Oh, they'll blame everything on Obama. For the Repubs, he's the black gift that keeps on giving.
Eyes on the important things: Trump tax returns and Russia, and in a way even more importantly, McConnell and Ryan. Esp. McConnell--he's the root.
Eyes on the important things: Trump tax returns and Russia, and in a way even more importantly, McConnell and Ryan. Esp. McConnell--he's the root.
8
Punish the Republicans in November 2018.
Nothing else to do.
Nothing else to do.
7
"[e]ven though he has yet to confront a crisis not of his own making"
That's the whole idea. He wants to be one step ahead of any crisis, all crises. He wants to create them, and let others - media, FBI, courts - deal with them in their best abilities. Rather than deal with crises initiated by others - all enemies. That was his way, his behavior also during the campaign.
When there are crises created by others on the other hand, his way is the submission, praise of the author, or silence. Like in cases of Netanyahu, Putin, Kim Jong-un. We'll see who comes next, and how he handels it.
That's the whole idea. He wants to be one step ahead of any crisis, all crises. He wants to create them, and let others - media, FBI, courts - deal with them in their best abilities. Rather than deal with crises initiated by others - all enemies. That was his way, his behavior also during the campaign.
When there are crises created by others on the other hand, his way is the submission, praise of the author, or silence. Like in cases of Netanyahu, Putin, Kim Jong-un. We'll see who comes next, and how he handels it.
3
If Trump really wants to stop screwing up and become a popular president he should fire Bannon-Miller-Pence and appoint Farid Zakaria as his chief strategist. Of course Farid wouldn't want to work for a lunatic.
5
Romney Care has worked well in Massachusetts and was enacted before Obama Care. Let us not forget Mr. Romney was the Republican governor of that basket of liberals state. But the minds of Republicans are so shut to the idea that President Obama could do anything right Romney had be dismiss his success when he was the Republican nominee for president. The perfidy of Republicans knows no bounds.
10
Looks like the Koch brothers are also fed up with the ineptness of elected Republicans. So they will be pumping their billions into anti-ACA measures, trying to ensure that non-elected Republicans control the outcome in Congress. Expect more chaos and more heavily funded disinformation campaigns.
8
The Republicans no longer have a script to follow now that they are totally responsible for everything. It must be shocking for them to discover that the people who voted them into office, now expect them to perform, when for eight long years the only thing they did was to obstruct.
I agree that if anything goes awry, President Obama will be blamed, because the party of personal responsibility never does accept personal responsibility for anything that goes awry on their watch. The fiasco in Iraq comes to mind.
I agree that if anything goes awry, President Obama will be blamed, because the party of personal responsibility never does accept personal responsibility for anything that goes awry on their watch. The fiasco in Iraq comes to mind.
17
Dr. Krugman surely has nothing good to say about the GOP. In the past month alone, he has called them crooked liars and charlatans, a messed up bunch , a hoax party, a no-clue club, a joke etc.
1
Paul can you please help our country.
We only need two things to improve America. They keep getting put off and explained as hurting business. Well for over 50 years now business health has improved by vast numbers and middle Americans are evaporating. Not much debate over who had the best deal over the last half century.
We need $15 minimum wage in every state.
We need single payer healthcare.
We as a country need these things desperately.
Paul, please help America in this midst of gloom. We need a courageous well known person to stand up and SCREAM! And to keep screaming until America gets just two things that we have waited for way too long.
We only need two things to improve America. They keep getting put off and explained as hurting business. Well for over 50 years now business health has improved by vast numbers and middle Americans are evaporating. Not much debate over who had the best deal over the last half century.
We need $15 minimum wage in every state.
We need single payer healthcare.
We as a country need these things desperately.
Paul, please help America in this midst of gloom. We need a courageous well known person to stand up and SCREAM! And to keep screaming until America gets just two things that we have waited for way too long.
12
Please, please take the time to read this - it will explain a lot that's going on now:
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/13/donald-trumps-worst-deal
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/13/donald-trumps-worst-deal
1
The Republican party is sure to pick up 8-12 Senate seats and several house seats in 2018. Possibly, several more Governorships and state government majorities. Look, policy has nothing to do with it.
4
I was shocked to read yesterday that 30,000 Americans died last year - as a result of the opioid epidemic. The number of Americans who died last year as a result of terrorists from the "banned" countries or sponsored by them: zero. Individuals killed by illegal immigrants must be in the tens at most. Yet look where the GOP wants billions of our tax dollars going while destroying the program that might help save the 30,000 Americans - the ACA. When will we admit the GOP is the greatest threat to our country?
577
A white working class that has become a Republican constituency has enabled the Republican Party to win elections, but it leads to a policy dilemma.
The Republican donor class wants tax cuts for rich people and corporations. Affluent Republicans think people should pay their own medical bills, and do not care about those who cannot afford to pay their medical bills.
Lower income white Republicans disagree with the Republican donor class on both issues. They vote Republican because of social issues.
The Republican donor class wants tax cuts for rich people and corporations. Affluent Republicans think people should pay their own medical bills, and do not care about those who cannot afford to pay their medical bills.
Lower income white Republicans disagree with the Republican donor class on both issues. They vote Republican because of social issues.
9
Well, would you just look at this motley crew, Trump, Ryan and McConnell. They are running the country. Does anyone out there think for a moment this Triad of Inhumanity has any empathy for what working class Americans need: A decent job at a livable mandatory minimum wage, universal health care guaranteed from cradle to grave, and a decent life in retirement through expanded Social Security and Medicare benefits, not less. Does anyone of sound mind these three knuckleheads are going to enact legislation making that American Dream occur? Of course they're not.
Then what are they doing on the thrones of power? What gullible goobers voted for these three? You should be ashamed.
DD
Manhattan
Then what are they doing on the thrones of power? What gullible goobers voted for these three? You should be ashamed.
DD
Manhattan
13
Every 4 - 8 years , after the republicans completely screw up the economy and sometimes the world (GWB) , the Democrats come in and toil and slog to right the ship. Obama , working against unremitting opposition, left ,at least , the economy in way better shape than he received from the Republicans. Now, with no Obama to blame anymore, outside of dumb wiretapping accusations, the Ryan McConnell Trump team are exposed to the bright light of reality; they are poseurs, charlatans, and phonies. They see they will hurt their base that they fooled all along with their anger and antagonism if they go through with their regressive policy "ideas". They are frozen like deer in the headlights of an American car going 80 on a country road.
10
This is a joke right? Throwing stones and all?? The party that is virtually dead, and Krugman has the stones to throw stones? Oh the irony!! But thanks for the morning laugh, Dr. Krugman. Pathetic (i.e. Krugmanesque). And I am no Trump supporter.
The GOOP will be transformed as will the USA when The Don is allowed to go on freely-Let's give him a try.
If I remember correctly, during the election period didn't Mr. Trump say he had a secret plan to end the Iraq war, better even than what our generals knew? Whatever happened to that? We'd love to see it. Mr. Trump.
5
"A Party Not Ready to Govern" says Krugman (Kruckman).
Nobel laureate Obama was ready to govern according to another fake Nobel laureate Kruckman.
Nobel laureate Obama was ready to govern according to another fake Nobel laureate Kruckman.
1
Maybe just maybe the Koch Brothers have spent a lot of money on a team that can't pull it off. From my mouth to god's ears.
6
There is a party which is unprepared to govern. Fortunately for all of us, they are no longer in power. What we witnessed in November is what happens "when a party gave up hard thinking in favor of empty sloganeering."
2
Re: a notable comment
NYC Father Manhattan 5 hours ago
"Before we can talk about corporate taxes trump must show his tax returns.
Before we can talk about the ACA we must press for a complete and independent investigation into trump's ties to Russia."
#1: Yes - his tax returns are indeed relevant.
#2: Before a decision is made on the ACA, it needs to be discussed - Why Federal employees are 'entitled' to Special insurance options.
If our Governing officials - as well as all Fed employees are required to use the same insurance available to the rest of us, the discussion would surely be different. When we all have the same 'skin' in the game - a more equitable plan will surely emerge.
NYC Father Manhattan 5 hours ago
"Before we can talk about corporate taxes trump must show his tax returns.
Before we can talk about the ACA we must press for a complete and independent investigation into trump's ties to Russia."
#1: Yes - his tax returns are indeed relevant.
#2: Before a decision is made on the ACA, it needs to be discussed - Why Federal employees are 'entitled' to Special insurance options.
If our Governing officials - as well as all Fed employees are required to use the same insurance available to the rest of us, the discussion would surely be different. When we all have the same 'skin' in the game - a more equitable plan will surely emerge.
3
Smoke and mirrors. The question is, "Why has this worked for so many years?" Ronald Reagan brought our economy to its knees, and he has legendary status with many Americans. W put us on the most dangerous war path imaginable with the invasion of Iraq and all that has followed. He nearly destroyed our economy. McConnell and Ryan are downright evil and stupid. Smoke and mirrors. None of these horrible men have put the people first.
Yet somehow the black man who has more heart and intelligence in his little finger than any of these jerks in their entire being....well, he was a BAD president. If so many Americans continue to drink the kool-aid, we self-destruct. Thanks for bringing the rest of us down with you.
Yet somehow the black man who has more heart and intelligence in his little finger than any of these jerks in their entire being....well, he was a BAD president. If so many Americans continue to drink the kool-aid, we self-destruct. Thanks for bringing the rest of us down with you.
6
Republican: A person with no clue how to lead, govern or have vision for the future.
How does a constituency survive with this type of leadership ?
How does a constituency survive with this type of leadership ?
3
In 2006, at the pinnacle of the Bush Administrations various screw-ups. Alan Wolfe wrote an interesting piece called "Why Conservatives Can't Govern". After slogging past the liberal boilerplate that opens the essay, his premise is that if don;t believe in, care about or just plain despise the entity you're managing, you're going to do a lousy job. It applies to the Secretary of Whatever, the CEO of a company, to department managers and the employees themselves.
We're certainly seeing it at the top with this administration. It's an ongoing reality show that does not bode well for our country.
http://www.alternet.org/story/37947/why_conservatives_can't_govern
We're certainly seeing it at the top with this administration. It's an ongoing reality show that does not bode well for our country.
http://www.alternet.org/story/37947/why_conservatives_can't_govern
1
The Wonk!
Another Republican loud mouth with nothing sensible coming out.
But the base likes him or does it? As dishonest a man as they come.
Another Republican loud mouth with nothing sensible coming out.
But the base likes him or does it? As dishonest a man as they come.
2
Why oh why does Paul Ryan keep smiling? He thinks the Republican party won and he is on his way to getting his handlers' policy dreams fulfilled? Nope. Trump is on his way to causing very serious and long-lasting damage to his party and to our nation. There will be no winners.
12
Krugs has it fundamentally wrong again...as most of his media peers still do. The vast majority of Americans don't want to be governed or ruled. They want the shores to be protected. They want the constitution to be upheld, the mail delivered on time and the interstate highway system to be maintained. Everything else can be figured out at the state and individual level guided by market forces and the rule of law. There are more than enough existing laws and regulations in force now. Let's get on with it. We've gotten all the help we can stand.
The GOP has become the Grand Old Wrecking Party. With the House, the Senate and the White House, all controlled by Republicans, it's three sheets to the wind for the Ship of State.
Although it would be a natural reflex to replace the vindictive Obamacare label with Trumpcare I think it is more logical to tag the stillborn Republican version as McConnellcare. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?
Paul, you're a brilliant economist. What would you say to any student who turned in a paper that said, "It goes without saying that Donald Trump is the least qualified individual, temperamentally or intellectually, ever installed in the White House"? Would you ask him/her how they came to know the qualifications of all the former presidents, or would you fail the paper for including unsubstantiated opinion based on their extrapolation of their impression of just ONE president, Donald Trump? You lose credibility, and thus any chance of influence, when you ignore basic principles of objective writing.
And then yesterday, Roger Cohen suggests a National Service Program for our youth ---- I have to ask, "what the "h" did they do?" Unbelievable. A program for kids for college, so professors can be the highest paid in the nation. I'd much rather see a program for the husband and wife teams in government --- the Mitch and Elaine's. It wouldn't enough - a taxpayer tapped for Mitch's salary and benefits -- oh, no, wifey-pooh wanted her's too. And, it's the kids fault. Somebody needs to clean house!
This weekend is listened to a comedian demanded Trump's impeachment because he lacked morals. The comedian then went on to make a lewd joke about a women that was born without arms. Senators meet foreign diplomats but the left decided when a Republican does it's a treasonable offence and will not let it go just as Republicans won't let go Benghazi. Do we need comedians preach to us about morality or left to tell us the difference between right and wrong?
Reagan, Bush, Bush 2 and Obama were called Incompetent and the country survived but can it survive a press that doesn't do it's job? Thank you for at least referring to a few of the issues. If only you would go a little deeper. Maybe next time.
Reagan, Bush, Bush 2 and Obama were called Incompetent and the country survived but can it survive a press that doesn't do it's job? Thank you for at least referring to a few of the issues. If only you would go a little deeper. Maybe next time.
2
Until Republicans control the House AND the Senate, there is little chance of Congress approving the MLACA. That is why it is crucial that Ryan and McConnell keep reminding Americans, as Senator Cornyn said last week, that the Democrats just are blocking every attempt we in Congress have made to give members of Congress an alternative to the health care coverage we currently enjoy.
Love the photo of the Three Monkeys. But seriously, every photo I see of ryan these days makes me think he's high, as on dope. What's up with that?
2
The Party of No lives up to their name. They have no idea how to govern and no plan to do so.
7
"Thanks, Comey", you write once again. You keep up this jab and it is both tiresome and unconvincing. It would be more suitable to say "Thanks, Hillary and the DNC." Do you seriously believe that if Comey's actions were influential enough flip the election is wasn't because Hillary was such an odious choice for so many people, and the DNC wasn't so obviously out of touch even with the liberal electorate? So stop it. It just undercuts your otherwise persuasive voice about the state of our national politics, because it indicates that, in this matter at least, you are not clear-headed.
3
What can one expect from the perpetually smirking Ryan - the intellectual beacon (I kid you not) of the right?
4
A Newspaper Not Ready to Print:
How the New York Times sandbagged Bernie Sanders, dished up Clinton then blames the "masses" for this disaster. Shame!
A few examples:
Margaret Sullivan before she decamped to the Washington Post noted that a positive article by Ms Steinhauer had been modified to be virtually unrecognizable and decidedly negative.
"An article by Jennifer Steinhauer, published online, carried the headline “Bernie Sanders Scored Victories for Years via Legislative Side Doors.” It described the way the Vermont senator had managed a significant number of legislative victories in Congress despite the political independence that might have hindered him."
Mr. Krugman has been using his hatchet along with the New York Times on Bernie Sanders throughout the campaign.
By Paul Krugman
Sanders Over the Edge
'The revolutionary isn’t cute anymore."
(among the many negative op-eds)
Meanwhile the man who should have been president is doing the work of the people "Bernie Sanders, Nina Turner, Civil Rights Leaders Demand Workers’ Rights at Nissan Factory"
I saw no reporting of this important story in the New York Times which is on its usual Trump rants, parsed into a thousand pieces by its increasing mono- cultural press and pundits. Trump is dangerous, no question, but The New York Times should own its part in this.
At this point, I cannot consider justify continuing my subscription just for the recipes.
How the New York Times sandbagged Bernie Sanders, dished up Clinton then blames the "masses" for this disaster. Shame!
A few examples:
Margaret Sullivan before she decamped to the Washington Post noted that a positive article by Ms Steinhauer had been modified to be virtually unrecognizable and decidedly negative.
"An article by Jennifer Steinhauer, published online, carried the headline “Bernie Sanders Scored Victories for Years via Legislative Side Doors.” It described the way the Vermont senator had managed a significant number of legislative victories in Congress despite the political independence that might have hindered him."
Mr. Krugman has been using his hatchet along with the New York Times on Bernie Sanders throughout the campaign.
By Paul Krugman
Sanders Over the Edge
'The revolutionary isn’t cute anymore."
(among the many negative op-eds)
Meanwhile the man who should have been president is doing the work of the people "Bernie Sanders, Nina Turner, Civil Rights Leaders Demand Workers’ Rights at Nissan Factory"
I saw no reporting of this important story in the New York Times which is on its usual Trump rants, parsed into a thousand pieces by its increasing mono- cultural press and pundits. Trump is dangerous, no question, but The New York Times should own its part in this.
At this point, I cannot consider justify continuing my subscription just for the recipes.
2
It has always been my belief that Republicans are not in office so much to govern as to reward their friends. Governing is the boring thing you do in endless meeting where hardly anyone is paying much attention. Rewarding friends is what brings in those huge bundles of campaign cash.
Before you say that Democrats do the same thing, to which I agree, keep in mind that it was Democrats who did the scut work of banging out a health care bill that they could pass. Republicans sat in the back row throwing spit balls the whole time and then uniformly acted like the horse's butts they are and said nay.
Remember, Republicans want your vote, not your gratitude for doing anything to improve your lot, assuming you're not in the top 1 to 5 percent. If a $1000 contribution won't fit in your budget, then figure the only thing you'll get back is more guns and to deny that young girl down the street a way to correct a problem. Only liberals will put money in middle class pockets.
Before you say that Democrats do the same thing, to which I agree, keep in mind that it was Democrats who did the scut work of banging out a health care bill that they could pass. Republicans sat in the back row throwing spit balls the whole time and then uniformly acted like the horse's butts they are and said nay.
Remember, Republicans want your vote, not your gratitude for doing anything to improve your lot, assuming you're not in the top 1 to 5 percent. If a $1000 contribution won't fit in your budget, then figure the only thing you'll get back is more guns and to deny that young girl down the street a way to correct a problem. Only liberals will put money in middle class pockets.
6
"We the people" means nothing to GOP since it began a slow coast to "It's all about us" and with trump "it's about me" and his constant audience with applause. I read Mark Danner's article. March 9, in The New York Review of Books, "What he could do" and put in a quote: "Four weeks of the Trump ascendancy have been an ongoing seminar on where norms end and laws begin, on how much of what we had relied on when it came to the president’s conduct rested largely on a heretofore unquestioned foundation of centuries-old custom. That the president would express respect for the prerogatives of Congress and the judiciary, that he would acknowledge the country’s need for an independent press, that he would generally tell the truth and hold in respect the public record: in little more than the time it took to recite the oath of office much of this has been swept away". Or more: "Republicans are too divided and too focused on the main chance to move to protect what suddenly appear to be abstract principles. In an age when their party cannot muster a national popular vote majority they find themselves unaccountably in full possession of two branches of government and face the task of mastering their divisions sufficiently to pass a political program that won’t further doom them to the wilderness."
4
It appears that the party of Christ now seems more as a party of the Antichrist.
3
While some thought that President Trump's performance last Tuesday night before the joint session of Congress was 'proof' of his ability to adapt because he could read a speech from a TelePromter, they were brought back to reality that sheer incompetence will undo his presidency.
3
Prof. Krugman does not address a key question: would the DBCFT comply with US WTO commitments? If not, our global trading partners would be unlikely to wait for currency movements to nullify its effect before filing dispute cases and/or simply retaliating, with significant disruption to globalized supply chains. As for a VAT, which I personally favor as bringing the US in line with international practice, in its simple form it is not trade-distorting, but countries have the option of rebating VAT on exports, having a huge practical impact on corporate competitiveness and bottom lines.
Republicans have had the luxury of opposing everything Obama proposed. Now what to do when the dog caught the freight train? As Thomas Jefferson once said about slavery, "We have the wolf by the ears" That wolf has morphed from slavery to healthcare. To quote Krugman, "Thanks, Comey".
3
What passes for leadership in the party in power essentially amounts to eating your seed corn.
4
"it’s not just a personal problem." It is a personnel problem too.
"least qualified individual, temperamentally or intellectually, ever installed in the White House." How about the Republicans in Congress - they are the least qualified individuals ... ever to be installed in Congress by a bunch of Gerrymandered vote-suppressed districts.
Trump is shocked, SHOCKED!, that the world will not believe him and bend to his will like all of his employees have to. That is the first time in 70 years that has happened to him and he is likely suffering a "personal breakdown" as a result.
"oppressed job creators" that fight tooth and nail not to hire people to make money for them because workers represent a "cost."
"least qualified individual, temperamentally or intellectually, ever installed in the White House." How about the Republicans in Congress - they are the least qualified individuals ... ever to be installed in Congress by a bunch of Gerrymandered vote-suppressed districts.
Trump is shocked, SHOCKED!, that the world will not believe him and bend to his will like all of his employees have to. That is the first time in 70 years that has happened to him and he is likely suffering a "personal breakdown" as a result.
"oppressed job creators" that fight tooth and nail not to hire people to make money for them because workers represent a "cost."
2
Dismantling public education, undermining public health for years, engaging in race baiting has created a USA which has a few generations of unhealthy uneducated easy to manipulate idiots. They vote for people like DJT.
3
The corollary for the Dems is that they gave up 'hard thinking' on the plight of the worker and ended up with empty sloganeering. All their policies, all their wonky stuff and the ID politics they went on about - are now as empty as Trump's own crazy slogans.
They might be right and proper but there is no democratic instrument to apply them.
We were let down by unimaginative, uncharismatic and complacent leaders.
Let the Dems learn something about integrity ourselves on our way back up.
They might be right and proper but there is no democratic instrument to apply them.
We were let down by unimaginative, uncharismatic and complacent leaders.
Let the Dems learn something about integrity ourselves on our way back up.
1
" the broader, more fundamental fecklessness of his party."
Feckless, yes. Also ruthless stupidity and cupidity.
Feckless, yes. Also ruthless stupidity and cupidity.
1
There is a strong strain of stupidity and narcissism that runs throughout today's GOP including red voters. This explains how easily they buddy up with the gun lobby or Russian kleptocrats. It's why they embrace fake news. "Nothing/no one is too far-fetched to be embraced as long as they back ME."
7
We can blame the GOP and Trump, but how about all those voters? How about the white working-class voters who backed Trump, many of them on ACA while hating ACA at the same time. And the rest, who just hated Obama without thinking of the consequences to themselves and to the rest of us - are these people getting a pass on the blame. How about the almost 50% of the voting population who did not and does not vote. Why are the voter getting a free pass on thinking before acting? Maybe "the American People" deserve a reality check of really bad GOP and Trump policies.
4
If you polled Seniors and their relatives about Medicare coverage, they would almost certainly favor it by large majorities. If Republicans really want to replace the Affordable Care Act, substituting it with Medicare for All would be very popular.
If that's a bitter pill, and since their plan is complicated and not ready for public scrutiny, and they're not above plagiarism, they could pass Obamacare as is and just rename it Better Republican Act for Non-Democrats, or BRAND.
If that's a bitter pill, and since their plan is complicated and not ready for public scrutiny, and they're not above plagiarism, they could pass Obamacare as is and just rename it Better Republican Act for Non-Democrats, or BRAND.
6
More likely they'll pass a much inferior plan which gives all "access" to healthcare, but only if they can afford it. The Democrats should immediately label it "Trumpcare", or more accurately, "Trumpdontcare"
303
And these GOP hypocrites, obstructing President Obama at every turn for eight years and set to punish millions of Americans who finally were able to secure some type of healthcare — these very same hypocrites enjoy a comfortable salary and exceptional healthcare benefits all courtesy of we the people — how sick is that?
Soulless, immoral, corrupt...and bad at math = today's GOP.
Soulless, immoral, corrupt...and bad at math = today's GOP.
10
Thanks for shining the light under the rock and exposing the Republicans who are hiding there allowing Trump to take (well-deservedly) the heat. How we, the American people and the Democratic Party, have allowed our elected officials to veer so far from serving the needs of all Americans is a problem of tragic proportions. The court is really our "court of last resort." May they stand up to the challenge.
3
still not to the root cause.
Yahoos control congress, the Supreme Court, the presidency, most all state governments.
Why?
They compete against democrats.
As bad as the republicans are it is certain they are better than their competitors in competing.
Don't face that competitive failure problem, then the fascism is inevitable.
And this point has NOTHING to do with third parties and kumbayyah.
Think Howard Dean and fifty state strategy setting up Obama win, then being frozen out and replaced by Obama's no state strategy that left us the legacy of Ted Kennedy's senate seat succeeded by Scott Brown. Or Hillary getting scared by the popularity of the minor state independent septuagenarian Jewish guy from NYC so going nasty and dishnest--with Krugman's complete support and cooperation--on Sander's and his supporters when any but an arrogant political moron would have embraced and co opted those supporters and Sander's. But no. As bad and as evil as republicans are, democrats are more arrogant and inept at competing. The results don't lie. This is not equivalence.
this is simple. a every time you read an indictment of these republicans a sane person must ask, why are democrats so incompetent that these losers whip them?
Now with the Republic in peril due to democrat arrogant incompetence many democrat hacks are gloating that once again they will get power without ever being competent as they have for forty years now. This isn't fascist evil but evil it is.
Yahoos control congress, the Supreme Court, the presidency, most all state governments.
Why?
They compete against democrats.
As bad as the republicans are it is certain they are better than their competitors in competing.
Don't face that competitive failure problem, then the fascism is inevitable.
And this point has NOTHING to do with third parties and kumbayyah.
Think Howard Dean and fifty state strategy setting up Obama win, then being frozen out and replaced by Obama's no state strategy that left us the legacy of Ted Kennedy's senate seat succeeded by Scott Brown. Or Hillary getting scared by the popularity of the minor state independent septuagenarian Jewish guy from NYC so going nasty and dishnest--with Krugman's complete support and cooperation--on Sander's and his supporters when any but an arrogant political moron would have embraced and co opted those supporters and Sander's. But no. As bad and as evil as republicans are, democrats are more arrogant and inept at competing. The results don't lie. This is not equivalence.
this is simple. a every time you read an indictment of these republicans a sane person must ask, why are democrats so incompetent that these losers whip them?
Now with the Republic in peril due to democrat arrogant incompetence many democrat hacks are gloating that once again they will get power without ever being competent as they have for forty years now. This isn't fascist evil but evil it is.
3
Republican anger towards healthcare for all goes back to Roosevelt. Even though it costs more to handle uninsured crisis visits to the ER rather than a proactive plan which would allow us to focus on building our economy. 100 year waste of time. To have no coherent plan after 7 years trashing Obamancare is irresponsible. Republicans literally have people's lives in their hands.
8
I am afraid of my feeling that is getting stronger every day that at least some of the administrations failures are a well intended cover-up. For Trump the "travel ban" and for the Congress a repeal of the Affordable Care Act - throw in the introduction of Gorsuch - have take most of the headlines for the past 30 days. However over the weekend I read, below the fold, of 90 bills that have been enacted, as far as I can see, silently. A lifting of corporate responsibility to protect customer information - how could this be, even Congress has credit cards presumably. A permission to use lead bullets which can harm the environment. Why? There is no lack of bullets and at least some Congress people must have children and grandchildren who need a clean environment. And 88 other laws I don't know about. Is it incompetence or is it a plan - or both?
11
Exactly correct. Everything is a head fake. As an old defensive back, I can tell you to keep your eyes on his hips, that's where the body is going.
2
Just a reminder: we wouldn't be in this mess if the Democrats hadn't decided to abandon the working class back in the early 90s. As a result, all Democratic pundits have to point to defend that once-great party is Obamacare, a program that the working class is ambivalent about, and with good reason. Oh yeah, and their not lunatics like the Donald.
For most working people, ACA isn't affordable. Sure, it's given approximately one-third of the uninsured health insurance - and if they can afford the copays and deductibles, access to health care - but think how many of the uninsured would have truly affordable care had Obama not caved to wealthy interests and kicked the "public plan" to the curb?
And everything that's happened since November 8th indicates that the Democrats have learned nothing from their mistakes - the party leaders and pundits like Krugman don't even seem to realize they made mistakes.
For most working people, ACA isn't affordable. Sure, it's given approximately one-third of the uninsured health insurance - and if they can afford the copays and deductibles, access to health care - but think how many of the uninsured would have truly affordable care had Obama not caved to wealthy interests and kicked the "public plan" to the curb?
And everything that's happened since November 8th indicates that the Democrats have learned nothing from their mistakes - the party leaders and pundits like Krugman don't even seem to realize they made mistakes.
2
Ed Watters,
I am a conservative, but I have always been in favor of National Socialized healthcare, like the European “Nanny States,” rather than rely on local taxes to create and support local free hospitals (ala Harris County Hospital District) for the poor that cannot otherwise afford medical care.
Free Medical Care is now considered to be a government provided right, like Free Speech!
We could eliminate the costs of the Health Insurance Companies and all of their employees.
The government could then limit and control the amount that is paid nationally by the government for all medical care.
People wanting health care for repeated drug overdoses could pay for it themselves or not have it.
People wanting mental health care could pay for it themselves or not have it.
People wanting cosmetic surgery could pay for it themselves or not have it.
People wanting sex change surgery could pay for it themselves or not have it.
I am a conservative, but I have always been in favor of National Socialized healthcare, like the European “Nanny States,” rather than rely on local taxes to create and support local free hospitals (ala Harris County Hospital District) for the poor that cannot otherwise afford medical care.
Free Medical Care is now considered to be a government provided right, like Free Speech!
We could eliminate the costs of the Health Insurance Companies and all of their employees.
The government could then limit and control the amount that is paid nationally by the government for all medical care.
People wanting health care for repeated drug overdoses could pay for it themselves or not have it.
People wanting mental health care could pay for it themselves or not have it.
People wanting cosmetic surgery could pay for it themselves or not have it.
People wanting sex change surgery could pay for it themselves or not have it.
1
So, the party that spends all its time denigrating government is no good at governing. Why is anyone surprised?
4
Professor Krugman. Please. Do I have to look at a picture of Larry, Moe, and Curly so early on a fine Monday morning? I mean, even the American buffalo in the background is trying to hide his head to avoid looking at them.
1
Anyone remember the whig party?? I think this is the replay of that, only this time they have had 40 some years to bring their own down fall on. They also put the unqualified clown into the WH with red state voter suppression. Karma will finally pay these clowns a visit.
1
Why not get rid of Obamacare and keep the Affordable Care Act? This will placate the 40+ per cent of Americans who are racist and still help the 20 million who desperately need that healthcare plan. Everybody wins!!
1
Facing Reality? What a concept, as Robin Williams, observed.
Speaking from the Oval Office, United States President Donald J Trump, today, is calling for an investigation, that the Earth’s allegedly round shape has been a conspiracy promoted by scientists who have all along been the behind the Paris Climate Accord. President Trump is claiming that they are part of a secret society dating back to Galileo, whose aim was to discredit the Church by spreading fake news that the Earth is round and revolves around the Sun. Trump is dispatching his Chief Strategist Steven Bannon to Rome to combat rumors that the Earth is not flat and the center of the universe.
From Washington, I’m Karen Ryan, reporting.
Speaking from the Oval Office, United States President Donald J Trump, today, is calling for an investigation, that the Earth’s allegedly round shape has been a conspiracy promoted by scientists who have all along been the behind the Paris Climate Accord. President Trump is claiming that they are part of a secret society dating back to Galileo, whose aim was to discredit the Church by spreading fake news that the Earth is round and revolves around the Sun. Trump is dispatching his Chief Strategist Steven Bannon to Rome to combat rumors that the Earth is not flat and the center of the universe.
From Washington, I’m Karen Ryan, reporting.
Republican lawmakers are now being threatened by the Koch brothers who plan to run a massive ad campaign demanding that Republicans keep their promise and repeal the ACA now and by angry constituents at town hall meetings vowing to turn them out of office if they do repeal the ACA without an adequate replacement.
Apparently, some Trump supporters have finally realized that the ACA which they like is the same thing as Obamacare that they have been tutored by the conservative MSM to hate.
I can't say that I feel sorry for either the Republicans or for Trump's supporters who stand the very good chance of losing their health care. Both groups have earned their predicament. Unfortunately, too many other people will have to share in their fate if the GOP fails to get their act together.
To date there is little evidence that they will.
Apparently, some Trump supporters have finally realized that the ACA which they like is the same thing as Obamacare that they have been tutored by the conservative MSM to hate.
I can't say that I feel sorry for either the Republicans or for Trump's supporters who stand the very good chance of losing their health care. Both groups have earned their predicament. Unfortunately, too many other people will have to share in their fate if the GOP fails to get their act together.
To date there is little evidence that they will.
4
You're right. Many of us have known that the GOP can't govern; it can only destroy. It's populated and controlled by extremists who simply want end results: power and wealth. The how is unimportant when the why is exclusively compelling. For this to change the GOP leaders and members must change. Period.
4
Paul Ryan is "little Trump". Still looking for intelectual guidance on what to do in Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. They all are equally immature adolescents running the country. Sadly, they merely reflect the ignorant, immature and gullible half of the country.
3
You are right Mr. Krugman, the Repubs lack the skills to govern.
They get their lemmings to follow them as Gingrich and Cruz shut down the government, as they "sequester" funding all departments including even the military.
What has Mitch McConnell accomplished in the last ten years? Well nothing that contributes to the well being of the Country. He simply cashes his paycheck. My Father referred to that behavior as "dignified welfare"..... welfare with a job.
Try to pay your Dr. or Hospital bill with a Paul Ryan voucher.
If they change Obamacare, their kids must be the first on the plan they pass. That way we may get closer to a plan that works.
But Republicans lack the skills to govern. Plain and simple.
They get their lemmings to follow them as Gingrich and Cruz shut down the government, as they "sequester" funding all departments including even the military.
What has Mitch McConnell accomplished in the last ten years? Well nothing that contributes to the well being of the Country. He simply cashes his paycheck. My Father referred to that behavior as "dignified welfare"..... welfare with a job.
Try to pay your Dr. or Hospital bill with a Paul Ryan voucher.
If they change Obamacare, their kids must be the first on the plan they pass. That way we may get closer to a plan that works.
But Republicans lack the skills to govern. Plain and simple.
2
I wish the editors would force Dr. K to drop "Thanks, Comey" from these columns. It's a terrible pun, for one; Dr. K thinks it's great, so he keeps using it over and over, for two; and Comey's involvement is just one piece of why we have Trump in the White House.
Under this scenario of budget busting tax cuts for the well to do and causing havoc to the health care system, the Democrats will end up coming in to clean up the mess and be blamed if things do not goes as planned. The continuous cycle begins. Since Reagan, the Democratic Party has been better at managing the economy, even if they were never given the credit.
1
Congratulations to Al Drago. This photo speaks volumes. Haven't seen three different expressions of seriousness or lack thereof since the Three Stooges.
2
First of all, thanks, Mr. Krugman, for merely stating the facts concerning Trump's latest tweet rant, and then move on to things that really matter, such as policy proposals that might get signed into law on important issues, and of course, the cancer that has been eating away the very core of the Republican party for more than two decades now: anti-intellectualism.
Anti-intellectualism includes "giving up hard thinking", as you say. The question is: how and why did this happen to the Grand Old Party of the greatest country on earth?
It happened when the GOPe was taken over by neoconservatives. Irving Kristol, one of the founding fathers of neoconservatism, wrote in the WSJ that JS Miller was right when he called the GOP the "stupid party", because "conservatism" is "intimately connected" with certain "sentiments", regarded as "self-evident truths" that cannot be "articulated".
For this reason, a "healthy society" needs "intellectuals" to be "marginal", because as soon as they enter public debate, conservatives cannot but lose.
It's the GOP's OWN "intellectuals" who have started to adopt an ideology that indeed isn't very solid, from a philosophical point of view, but that also deliberately advocates anti-intellectualism as one of its core values.
During the primaries, Trump seemed to be willing to dismantle some of the main GOP lies (e.g. Iraq war), but two months into his presidency, it has become clear that this is anti-intellectualism "on steroids".
Anti-intellectualism includes "giving up hard thinking", as you say. The question is: how and why did this happen to the Grand Old Party of the greatest country on earth?
It happened when the GOPe was taken over by neoconservatives. Irving Kristol, one of the founding fathers of neoconservatism, wrote in the WSJ that JS Miller was right when he called the GOP the "stupid party", because "conservatism" is "intimately connected" with certain "sentiments", regarded as "self-evident truths" that cannot be "articulated".
For this reason, a "healthy society" needs "intellectuals" to be "marginal", because as soon as they enter public debate, conservatives cannot but lose.
It's the GOP's OWN "intellectuals" who have started to adopt an ideology that indeed isn't very solid, from a philosophical point of view, but that also deliberately advocates anti-intellectualism as one of its core values.
During the primaries, Trump seemed to be willing to dismantle some of the main GOP lies (e.g. Iraq war), but two months into his presidency, it has become clear that this is anti-intellectualism "on steroids".
Power, party, power, and ideology and power over constituents, reality, and the country.
Oh, and did I mention power?
Welcome to the GOP 2017.
The insatiable hunger for power in the GOP is fully exposed in their deplorable craven embrace and support of a borderline lunatic in the oval as POTUS – a man who can not believe anything that does not fit the twisted self aggrandizing narrative in his dysfunctional and frightening head.
The GOP is about Power and nothing else. The GOP is devoid of conscience.
Remember this is the party that Arlen Spector left – the Senate champion of Clarence Thomas – and John Boehner could not get away from fast enough.
Power corrupts.
Oh, and did I mention power?
Welcome to the GOP 2017.
The insatiable hunger for power in the GOP is fully exposed in their deplorable craven embrace and support of a borderline lunatic in the oval as POTUS – a man who can not believe anything that does not fit the twisted self aggrandizing narrative in his dysfunctional and frightening head.
The GOP is about Power and nothing else. The GOP is devoid of conscience.
Remember this is the party that Arlen Spector left – the Senate champion of Clarence Thomas – and John Boehner could not get away from fast enough.
Power corrupts.
5
Republicans are the "Me First" party. Dismantle Government. Abolish Taxes.
They would turn out the lights and go home, except they need to get reelected to keep it dark. Hence the dilemma they find themselves in, needing to govern to the minimum.
They would turn out the lights and go home, except they need to get reelected to keep it dark. Hence the dilemma they find themselves in, needing to govern to the minimum.
8
"But whatever the eventual outcome, what we’re witnessing is what happens when a party that gave up hard thinking in favor of empty sloganeering ends up in charge of actual policy. "
Oh, the Republican Party has been doing plenty of hard thinking for decades. That's why they're finally in a position to put the nails in the lid of the coffin of the American Dream.
The Republicans have created and run a shadow government in Republican funded think tanks. They have identified and groomed people to put in positions of power. Chief Justice Roberts is one example. Judge Gorsuch is another poster boy for the Republican project to pack the nation's judiciary.
And let's not forget the hugely successful Republican gerrymandering project at the state level.
Finally, the Republicans are geniuses a molding and manipulating public opinion. Like Lucy in the Peanuts cartoon, the Republicans keep puling the football away at the last moment, but the American public endlessly willing to be gulled time and time again, just like Charlie Brown. into believing the Republican Lucy's promises. If and when the Republican base ever figures out it has been conned it will be far too late to do anything about it.
Really, all the Republican establishment cares about is making sure the rich get richer at the expense of the rest of us. The New Deal era was a historical aberration, and the Republicans want to see to it that we all get to experience what life was like without a safety net.
Oh, the Republican Party has been doing plenty of hard thinking for decades. That's why they're finally in a position to put the nails in the lid of the coffin of the American Dream.
The Republicans have created and run a shadow government in Republican funded think tanks. They have identified and groomed people to put in positions of power. Chief Justice Roberts is one example. Judge Gorsuch is another poster boy for the Republican project to pack the nation's judiciary.
And let's not forget the hugely successful Republican gerrymandering project at the state level.
Finally, the Republicans are geniuses a molding and manipulating public opinion. Like Lucy in the Peanuts cartoon, the Republicans keep puling the football away at the last moment, but the American public endlessly willing to be gulled time and time again, just like Charlie Brown. into believing the Republican Lucy's promises. If and when the Republican base ever figures out it has been conned it will be far too late to do anything about it.
Really, all the Republican establishment cares about is making sure the rich get richer at the expense of the rest of us. The New Deal era was a historical aberration, and the Republicans want to see to it that we all get to experience what life was like without a safety net.
4
Ten years ago I stopped calling myself an Independent and became a solid anti-Republican. Trump's election solidified my conviction. (Bloomberg gave me a brief hope for possible sanity in the party, but he seems to be an outlier.)
3
I don't think Trump is so much concerned about the image of his presidency, as much as he is about his own image. Wherein lies the essence of his danger. His decisions are likely to rely too much on his pride, rather than thoughtful deliberation. It's now urgent to deal with Trump on two tracks concurrently. Watch to make sure he does no further immediate harm to the country while figuring out how to constrain his power and/or remove him from office. Its gotten serious now. The President is a threat to the country.
9
To give Mr. Trump his due, his presidency is the effect, not the cause. The main problem is the juvenile ideology that culminated in this election. No one can call President Donald Trump the result of mature rational thought. Like children. Republicans want what they want with little if any regard for expense or consequences (of course, if the fulfillment of Republican desire doesn't work out so well, it's always somebody else's fault). They're masters art "It's different when we do it" duplicity, yet fancy themselves moral arbiters in much the same way youngsters believe themselves to hold the cultural high ground over the lame grownups. Look at Paul Ryan's smug little face in the photo: it's either nyaah-nyaah, I win you lose, or indigestion.
That's just the thing: children have a way of winning. They can yell louder and longer, are blissfully unburdened with objectivity, and don't hesitate to play the victim card. (As Kay Thompson's fictitious Eloise was wont to say, "After all, I'm only 6.") The trick for the Democrats will be to keep the kiddies in check without resorting to any desperate measure that could be construed as child abuse. Their big mistake so far has to been to try to face the opposition at its own level, which always makes adults look ridiculous.
That's just the thing: children have a way of winning. They can yell louder and longer, are blissfully unburdened with objectivity, and don't hesitate to play the victim card. (As Kay Thompson's fictitious Eloise was wont to say, "After all, I'm only 6.") The trick for the Democrats will be to keep the kiddies in check without resorting to any desperate measure that could be construed as child abuse. Their big mistake so far has to been to try to face the opposition at its own level, which always makes adults look ridiculous.
3
You have to realize something very fundamental to modern Republican ideology, this idea of small government, means no government. This is why the party of No isn't really ready or willing to govern, let alone face the reality that their constituents actually want a strong government.
It all stems from Republicans like Carly Fiorina who championed outsourcing. By outsourcing you don't have to manage, you don't need accountability, you can say you've increased productivity while reducing the size of your company (or government) regardless of the costs. Similarly by closing down government agencies like the EPA, OSHA, privatizing social programs like Social Security, you can just finger point and blame, without ever being held accountable.
Trump is the ultimate symbol of this, after failing in actually building and developing real estate he pivoted to just licensing his name onto properties, ever notice he never claims responsibility for any labor issues, business failures? Trump is the standard bearer for a party that wants power without the responsibilities that come along with it. The sad reality is the American people will pay bigly in the long run.
It all stems from Republicans like Carly Fiorina who championed outsourcing. By outsourcing you don't have to manage, you don't need accountability, you can say you've increased productivity while reducing the size of your company (or government) regardless of the costs. Similarly by closing down government agencies like the EPA, OSHA, privatizing social programs like Social Security, you can just finger point and blame, without ever being held accountable.
Trump is the ultimate symbol of this, after failing in actually building and developing real estate he pivoted to just licensing his name onto properties, ever notice he never claims responsibility for any labor issues, business failures? Trump is the standard bearer for a party that wants power without the responsibilities that come along with it. The sad reality is the American people will pay bigly in the long run.
13
This is all true - and has been obvious for years. But, of course, the many flaws, absurdities, and depredations infecting the GOP (even including its grass roots components and its funding structures) are only symptoms (excruciating as they are) of a deeper virulence.
Aristotle, James Madison, and anybody who has thought about it for twenty-minutes (or less) understood quite clearly that democracy is incompatible with any significant inequality of wealth. And wealth inequality is lethal to democracy. And on that front, the Democratic Party establishment (as currently and historically constituted) is not necessarily a reliable asset, much less a "progressive *force*".
Paul Krugman deserves much gratitude for hammering away at this.
Aristotle, James Madison, and anybody who has thought about it for twenty-minutes (or less) understood quite clearly that democracy is incompatible with any significant inequality of wealth. And wealth inequality is lethal to democracy. And on that front, the Democratic Party establishment (as currently and historically constituted) is not necessarily a reliable asset, much less a "progressive *force*".
Paul Krugman deserves much gratitude for hammering away at this.
5
The only real uniting theme in the Republican party is "the enemy f the Democrats is my friend". The rest is "AstroTurf". The proof of AstroTurf is in the signs, the Republican and Trump signs are all professionally printed, as opposed the Occupy Wall Street signs and the majority of signs at the Women's march on Washington.
2
The GOP is succeeding in 'undoing'. They may create nothing, but they can destroy many regulations that protect consumers and the environment. We watch the big stuff, but they undermine us in the fine print.
9
What ever comes out of "Repeal and Disgrace" it will not mention what Republicans steadfastly refuse to recognize, profiteering by the pharmaceutical industry and bloated not for profit hospital bureaucracy that drives cost increases and makes American health care the most expensive on the planet.
Instead we are simply rearranging the deck chairs in a way to shift more cost to people who cant afford it and provide assistance to people who don't need it. The pharmaceutical gravy train will continue, not for profit hospital organizations will continue to pay outrageous salaries to bloated management staffs.
Instead we are simply rearranging the deck chairs in a way to shift more cost to people who cant afford it and provide assistance to people who don't need it. The pharmaceutical gravy train will continue, not for profit hospital organizations will continue to pay outrageous salaries to bloated management staffs.
9
This is the most Anti-American version of any party we've ever seen.
The current incarnation of the GOP is beholden only to it's funders, who's interests are often esoteric and self-serving, as only an extremely wealthy person could understand.
The current incarnation of the GOP has taken it upon itself, via state governments and our Congress to gradually erode and pervert our Democracy to serve their wealthy benefactors interests only.
Coal jobs are not coming back. Jesus will not solve your mortgage and credit card interest rates.
"Trump voters", for all of the media coverage they've gotten lately, have been spoon fed fear. And now, in some foggy womb of false security, through promises of no more "illegals" stealing their jobs, and outdated industries magically coming back to life via voodoo import/export policies, these poor poor voters will lose health insurance. They will be preyed on by lenders and their banks. They will suffer the effects of inflation at Walmart.
These people CHOSE their sources of information. Based on that they CHOSE this life. I am sick and tired of hearing about the poor poor Trump nation that can't make ends meet, because all of those elitists who took out student loans are somehow out to get them.
Enough of this pathetic charade. Educate yourself and vote accordingly.
Trump voters deserve no sympathy, and the GOP deserves no excuses for their naked power mongering and anti-Democratic behavior.
Disgusting.
P.S. Get a new tie, Mitch.
The current incarnation of the GOP is beholden only to it's funders, who's interests are often esoteric and self-serving, as only an extremely wealthy person could understand.
The current incarnation of the GOP has taken it upon itself, via state governments and our Congress to gradually erode and pervert our Democracy to serve their wealthy benefactors interests only.
Coal jobs are not coming back. Jesus will not solve your mortgage and credit card interest rates.
"Trump voters", for all of the media coverage they've gotten lately, have been spoon fed fear. And now, in some foggy womb of false security, through promises of no more "illegals" stealing their jobs, and outdated industries magically coming back to life via voodoo import/export policies, these poor poor voters will lose health insurance. They will be preyed on by lenders and their banks. They will suffer the effects of inflation at Walmart.
These people CHOSE their sources of information. Based on that they CHOSE this life. I am sick and tired of hearing about the poor poor Trump nation that can't make ends meet, because all of those elitists who took out student loans are somehow out to get them.
Enough of this pathetic charade. Educate yourself and vote accordingly.
Trump voters deserve no sympathy, and the GOP deserves no excuses for their naked power mongering and anti-Democratic behavior.
Disgusting.
P.S. Get a new tie, Mitch.
15
"..what we’re witnessing is what happens when a party that gave up hard thinking in favor of empty sloganeering ends up in charge of actual policy."
Throughout President Obama's two terms in office, Republicans in congress simply dug in and led by obstruction. The American people suffered and enough of them reacted last November to give us Donald Trump. The 'Party of No' is in the majority but has become so hardwired to obstruct it can no longer function in the realm of ideas and imagination to solve the problems of its citizens. If I were a Republican voter, I'd be looking for people like Evan McMullin to pump new blood into this ailing elephant.
Throughout President Obama's two terms in office, Republicans in congress simply dug in and led by obstruction. The American people suffered and enough of them reacted last November to give us Donald Trump. The 'Party of No' is in the majority but has become so hardwired to obstruct it can no longer function in the realm of ideas and imagination to solve the problems of its citizens. If I were a Republican voter, I'd be looking for people like Evan McMullin to pump new blood into this ailing elephant.
4
This is what happens when you spend decades using religion and narrow social POVs to recruit and promote people and political agendas and sell it to a body politic desperate to "believe again." Into this void (and it is a void) steps a cynical class of false patriots and fake born-agains (Trump being just the latest) who are seeking advantage -- both political and economic -- but who care little about either the social or spiritual pretense they've used to gain public office or private position.
The biggest -- or is it bigly -- reason these folks are not ready to govern is their absolute disdain for the vaguery and inconsistency of democracy. From their treatment of our legislative bodies (the Party of No, the do-nothing-anybody-else- wants Congresses of the past twenty-pus years), to their refusal to allow differently-minded justices and judges to sit on our courts, to the endless streams of nonsensical attempts to reverse legitimately passed public policy or Constitutional precedent, these folks don't want to govern, they want to rule.
The quagmire we are in isn't the one Trump and his followers claim, it is them.
If you want America to be great again get rid of Trumpism (and today's GOP) and embrace ambiguity. With ambiguity, all things are possible -- yes, even bad things but more often great things -- with the rigidity and cynicism of today's "governors," nothing is actually possible.
The biggest -- or is it bigly -- reason these folks are not ready to govern is their absolute disdain for the vaguery and inconsistency of democracy. From their treatment of our legislative bodies (the Party of No, the do-nothing-anybody-else- wants Congresses of the past twenty-pus years), to their refusal to allow differently-minded justices and judges to sit on our courts, to the endless streams of nonsensical attempts to reverse legitimately passed public policy or Constitutional precedent, these folks don't want to govern, they want to rule.
The quagmire we are in isn't the one Trump and his followers claim, it is them.
If you want America to be great again get rid of Trumpism (and today's GOP) and embrace ambiguity. With ambiguity, all things are possible -- yes, even bad things but more often great things -- with the rigidity and cynicism of today's "governors," nothing is actually possible.
8
The core problem for Republicans with governing isn't merely that they disagree with Democrats on the scope of government--debating the role of government is a good thing--but rather that Republicans seek to dismantle government for the sake of dismantling government.
It's one thing to believe that government's role should be decreased but should be the best government possible in the areas it should be involved it. It is quite another to believe that government can't do anything right and should be dismantled or prevented from getting anything done. As long as Republicans believe that latter, they will never be ready to govern.
It's one thing to believe that government's role should be decreased but should be the best government possible in the areas it should be involved it. It is quite another to believe that government can't do anything right and should be dismantled or prevented from getting anything done. As long as Republicans believe that latter, they will never be ready to govern.
9
Those who believe that government can't do anything right seem to believe that when government decides to execute somebody, they always have the right person. And they also seem to believe that this utterly inept government is doing the right thing when they force reluctant (or coerced, or raped) mothers to bear a child that neither the mothers or this totally incapable government can support.
Donald Trump started out incompetent, in over head head, and his neurotic behavior has only gotten work. He has surrounded himself with billionaire ideologues who seem unable to do anything else, besides grope for more, and more, unneeded money. And, even that Rogue's gallery seems to be locked in a closet, unable to even name a deputy for when they are "not in".
But now, boys and girls, the tale of ignorance and scamming the American people only gets deeper, darker, and headed toward the gutter. So, what about all of those "gonna does"," it's be so much betters", and "Just Trust Me!"
Donald Trump has apparently delegated all power to Steve Bannon, with Jared Kushner and Steve Miller acting as his acolytes. His promises? No wall, because it'll get caught-up in numerous legal suites and costs, before considering the construction; No Health Care, and might Social Security and Medicare be next; Banks are salivating to get Dodd-Frank repealed so that they can run wild on Wall Street and elsewhere; and don't count on the Infrastructure Scam, other than the American Taxpayer gets to pay for it.
Other than that, Trumpie seems to be getting his photo-ops in: command performance at the White House; boarding and unbarring Air Force One; and Ivanka and the grandkids in-toe, all the way!
https://thetruthoncommonsense.com
But now, boys and girls, the tale of ignorance and scamming the American people only gets deeper, darker, and headed toward the gutter. So, what about all of those "gonna does"," it's be so much betters", and "Just Trust Me!"
Donald Trump has apparently delegated all power to Steve Bannon, with Jared Kushner and Steve Miller acting as his acolytes. His promises? No wall, because it'll get caught-up in numerous legal suites and costs, before considering the construction; No Health Care, and might Social Security and Medicare be next; Banks are salivating to get Dodd-Frank repealed so that they can run wild on Wall Street and elsewhere; and don't count on the Infrastructure Scam, other than the American Taxpayer gets to pay for it.
Other than that, Trumpie seems to be getting his photo-ops in: command performance at the White House; boarding and unbarring Air Force One; and Ivanka and the grandkids in-toe, all the way!
https://thetruthoncommonsense.com
7
The Republicans are like the dog who chases the same car every morning and evening as it goes out and in, and then one day he catches it.
What's the dog going to do now?
What's the dog going to do now?
4
Actually, the GOP looks like little more than a criminal gang arguing over the split after a successful robbery.
lff
lff
7
American democracy is in a freefall, and I lay a lot of blame at the GOP's feet. Their pandering to the fringe extreme right-wing crazies, and the lack of any intellectual discernment on the part of many, many conservative voters, have led to this debacle. It would require a leader the caliber of Abraham Lincoln to save us now. The Paul Ryans and Mitch McConnell's of the world will pay for their part in this by looking like the weak-minded, duplicitous politicians they are.
4
It's much worse than the GOP not knowing how to govern and phoning it in. This morning Senator Jason Chaffetz said that they will be following up on Mr. Trump's accusations about President Obama and that they have found nothing so far to prove that the Russian's disrupted our elections in any significant way. The GOP is the party of Fox (FAKE) News -- following every conspiracy theory (at taxpayer expense) that Fox News comes up with. Putting out these false flags plays right into Russia hands. The GOP is showing more respect for Mr. Putin than they do for the American people. My only hope is that now that the Emperor and his GOP cronies have no clothes, the American people who have rather blindly followed them have had the blinders removed, or I should say "ripped" from their eyes. They desperately need to wake up and fast!
5
The Republican party has been hijacked.
When a car or plane hijacking occurs do you expect rational behavior?
We have exactly what comes with the situation----irrational behavior 24/7.
The nation is being held hostage and given our form of government prepare for a long standoff.
Maybe if McCain and some other 'rational' actors can talk the hijacker down they can prevent real carnage.
When a car or plane hijacking occurs do you expect rational behavior?
We have exactly what comes with the situation----irrational behavior 24/7.
The nation is being held hostage and given our form of government prepare for a long standoff.
Maybe if McCain and some other 'rational' actors can talk the hijacker down they can prevent real carnage.
4
Trump has been turned inside out for the NYT readership. Nothing surprises any more.
The better targets are the die hard Trump supporters, individually, not collectively. Lots more to write about and greater unexplored vulnerabilities.
The better targets are the die hard Trump supporters, individually, not collectively. Lots more to write about and greater unexplored vulnerabilities.
2
"It goes without saying that Donald Trump is the least qualified individual, temperamentally or intellectually, ever installed in the White House." You got that right.
6
No mention of the wiretap scandal other than it's a wild accusation. Krugman's own paper reported on it in January and again in February. Is he calling his own employer fake news, or is he ignoring the biggest political scandal since Watergate?
Good Monday morning. This is the 46th day of the Trump "presidency." What he will screw up today? I can only hope it will be something relatively small and not the entire world. Note to man carrying the nuclear football: do not pass, handoff, lateral, or fumble. In fact, Run, Forrest, Run!
4
Yesterday there was an article that the Koch Brothers were apoplectic that the repeal for the ACA has not yet occurred, They expect action for their donations and see the prize slipping away as the public has grasped the reality that the replacement will leave out millions to fend for themselves.
The entire campaign against the ACA was a manufactured scam to drive votes to republicans who have no plans to govern. Give the people exactly what they voted for and let them reap the benefits of their ignorance...they will never learn until there is some pain.
The entire campaign against the ACA was a manufactured scam to drive votes to republicans who have no plans to govern. Give the people exactly what they voted for and let them reap the benefits of their ignorance...they will never learn until there is some pain.
4
I always laugh when Republicans point to Paul Ryan as their budget wonk.
9
Again, that vomit-inducing photo of the unholy trinity.
11
Republicans may be able to win a short battle, but I'm afraid they have no idea what it takes to win a war.
4
The GOP loves the blissfully ignorant constituency they cultivate. As others have said, the GOP voters aren't "dumb", they're dangerously ignorant of facts and reject any experts as elitist. Trump is a foolish, thin-skinned bully without the intellect, emotional stability or temperament to lead anything but his own self-centered corporation. Trump's ignorant deplorables think he's speaking up for them, when in reality he speaks only for himself and what will further aggrandize him in his own eyes.
When is the GOP leadership going to "lead" and start to do the jobs they've sworn to do? They obfuscate when discussing their health care and tax plans, they continuously say they'll do great things for the American people, but all they do is help themselves and further saddle the vast majority of the American people with less of everything that made us great.
Trump and the GOP are making America a pathetic laughing stock around the world...we're seen as an arrogant nation afraid of the shadow its left behind.
When is the GOP leadership going to "lead" and start to do the jobs they've sworn to do? They obfuscate when discussing their health care and tax plans, they continuously say they'll do great things for the American people, but all they do is help themselves and further saddle the vast majority of the American people with less of everything that made us great.
Trump and the GOP are making America a pathetic laughing stock around the world...we're seen as an arrogant nation afraid of the shadow its left behind.
6
Another element-Republicans made a lot of promises that sound great and indeed were swallowed by many Americans. The promises of ponys and puppies for everyone got them into office. Part of their real goal is not limited Government, or fiscal conservatism (although they DO want to further entrench the oligarchy they have created) - it is a very conservative, and some say now that Bannon is in power- a hard right social agenda.
4
Honestly, I try to care about Trump voters losing their badly-needed health care when Obamacare is repealed, but I just can't. Sometimes you cannot protect people from their own foolishness. We've told them ad infinitum that the stove is hot; guess they need to experience it for themselves.
9
Republicans have one agenda. Their agenda is to stay in office. Their strategy is the use of racist hate and the fears of their constituency. This is the right wings bedrock principle and reason for their existence.
(Paul your wrong about Comey being the reason for this so-called president. Hillary's ego-driven need to win red states is the cause. Had she paid some attention to MI,OH,PA, and WI, she would have won the Electoral College. Check the great performance she had in red-states and see for your self.).
(Paul your wrong about Comey being the reason for this so-called president. Hillary's ego-driven need to win red states is the cause. Had she paid some attention to MI,OH,PA, and WI, she would have won the Electoral College. Check the great performance she had in red-states and see for your self.).
3
NYTimes seems to show the questionable practice of delaying the publication of a comment, if it deems the content not quite in line with the opinion of the comments' censurer. This seems to be the case with a few of my previous comments, which were published at least a day later, when the article in question was no more of any interest and nobody would read it. This is the case without doubt with my comment (see below) to the present article. The probable reason for this particular case being that Netanyahu's name is brought up in a not quite respectable company.
My previous comment (of more than 1 hr):
"[e]ven though he has yet to confront a crisis not of his own making"
That's the whole idea. He wants to be one step ahead of any crisis, all crises. He wants to create them, and let others - media, FBI, courts - deal with them in their best abilities. Rather than deal with crises initiated by others - all enemies. That was his way, his behavior also during the campaign.
When there are crises created by others on the other hand, his way is the submission, praise of the author, or silence. Like in cases of Netanyahu, Putin, Kim Jong-un. We'll see who comes next, and how he handles it.
My previous comment (of more than 1 hr):
"[e]ven though he has yet to confront a crisis not of his own making"
That's the whole idea. He wants to be one step ahead of any crisis, all crises. He wants to create them, and let others - media, FBI, courts - deal with them in their best abilities. Rather than deal with crises initiated by others - all enemies. That was his way, his behavior also during the campaign.
When there are crises created by others on the other hand, his way is the submission, praise of the author, or silence. Like in cases of Netanyahu, Putin, Kim Jong-un. We'll see who comes next, and how he handles it.
3
Another reason might be the misspelled word "handels" in the initial comment. In any case NYTimes should not take the readers' comments too close to heart. After all, the newspaper should make the appropriate distinction between its own and its readers' opinions, or, orthography.
The problem may be that no one is ever ready to govern.
How can Mr Trump, of whom I am no particular fan, or any other man who has not been involved as a politician most of his adult life be expected to deal with others who, aside from golf, know no other game.
Although he may be truculent and out of touch with most of his fellow citizens he is a person who grew up here and shy of poverty has been exposed to much the same that most all of us understand. Although he has surrounded himself with some very less than thoughtful people he is not a stupid person.
If he doesn't get lost in the government maze and finds advisors who do not have a partisan agenda, political or otherwise, he can like any other intelligent human being, run our government as well as most of those who have occupied the Oval office chair.
He has been discounted since childhood, to some degree villified by those who have little else to offer beyond carping and others who should ease up on their petulance pedal.
Give the dour guy a break and concentrate efforts on those two Cheshire cats who are flanking him. He alone is not the problem.
How can Mr Trump, of whom I am no particular fan, or any other man who has not been involved as a politician most of his adult life be expected to deal with others who, aside from golf, know no other game.
Although he may be truculent and out of touch with most of his fellow citizens he is a person who grew up here and shy of poverty has been exposed to much the same that most all of us understand. Although he has surrounded himself with some very less than thoughtful people he is not a stupid person.
If he doesn't get lost in the government maze and finds advisors who do not have a partisan agenda, political or otherwise, he can like any other intelligent human being, run our government as well as most of those who have occupied the Oval office chair.
He has been discounted since childhood, to some degree villified by those who have little else to offer beyond carping and others who should ease up on their petulance pedal.
Give the dour guy a break and concentrate efforts on those two Cheshire cats who are flanking him. He alone is not the problem.
2
This is dramatic.
After all the effort they have put into thwarting Obama, all the maneuvers to obtain majorities in both Houses, all the complaining, the Tea-Partying, the threats, the GOP doesn't actually have any executable plans to govern??? This is indeed way worse than putting Trump in the White House.
This means that you no longer have representation, as a people. That your elected representatives will need to be at the service of whomever pays for their re-election, even more than before. That there will not be an underlying project to unite the various strands of policy making. You will end up with either broad sweeping strokes that are rife with holes and contradictions or with persnickety hair-splitting legislation, designed to suit very narrow interests.
It almost seems like the GOP has taken to cultivate voter discontent and exploit it to disgust people into abstaining... and to rely on those who are too ill-equipped to grasp complexity to turn up at the polling stations and so to perpetuate misrule. And all that within the letter of the law...
Strange indeed.
After all the effort they have put into thwarting Obama, all the maneuvers to obtain majorities in both Houses, all the complaining, the Tea-Partying, the threats, the GOP doesn't actually have any executable plans to govern??? This is indeed way worse than putting Trump in the White House.
This means that you no longer have representation, as a people. That your elected representatives will need to be at the service of whomever pays for their re-election, even more than before. That there will not be an underlying project to unite the various strands of policy making. You will end up with either broad sweeping strokes that are rife with holes and contradictions or with persnickety hair-splitting legislation, designed to suit very narrow interests.
It almost seems like the GOP has taken to cultivate voter discontent and exploit it to disgust people into abstaining... and to rely on those who are too ill-equipped to grasp complexity to turn up at the polling stations and so to perpetuate misrule. And all that within the letter of the law...
Strange indeed.
4
Ryan, now in power, is finding that after eight years of opposition to the ACA he has landed in the driver's seat with no steering wheel. Talk is cheap and an undergraduate degree in economics and Atlas Shrugged on his desk is not going pull him out of the mess he has made for himself.
7
The Republicans have been saying for years that they wanted to ruin Obama's Presidency, and now they want to ruin his legacy. They have no other plan.
The Republicans are like a kid who is jealous of a new bike that the kid next door got. The kid next door earned the money for the bike. Do the Republicans want to earn their own bike? No. They want to steal the other kid's bike and throw it under a car.
That's their plan to Make The Neighborhood Great Again.
The Republicans are like a kid who is jealous of a new bike that the kid next door got. The kid next door earned the money for the bike. Do the Republicans want to earn their own bike? No. They want to steal the other kid's bike and throw it under a car.
That's their plan to Make The Neighborhood Great Again.
3
Learned a "fact" (not an alt fact) about the ACA -insurance companies can still make a profit. Our little state of NC that did not expand medicaid and no state exchange yet in 2016 produced a profit for BCBS of over $250 million! Imagine NC people got insurance on the Federal exchange and the insurance company made a profit. Now that is something that we should all thank the Dems and Mr. Obama.
did you actually read the column? you can thank the Republican/industry distorted version of the ACA and I'm sure the uninsured in NC are very grateful that BCBS made so much money
The Republican party is like a dog who chases cars. When he catches one he stands there wondering what he is going to do with it.
2
Think about the Kochs ordering the Republicans today to get rid of the ACA or else!
Taking healthcare away from millions of citizens, per the Kochs. Pretty amazing. Those that get the most elite healthcare in the country taking it away from the poor and those that might not otherwise have the means to get medical treatment.
This country is about as low as it can go. But every day we learn yet another angle, just when we think we've seen or heard it all.
Taking healthcare away from millions of citizens, per the Kochs. Pretty amazing. Those that get the most elite healthcare in the country taking it away from the poor and those that might not otherwise have the means to get medical treatment.
This country is about as low as it can go. But every day we learn yet another angle, just when we think we've seen or heard it all.
5
By Politics we mean both content and style. Let's focus on the latter. Obama was justly seen as a No Drama President. President Trump is viewed as Sturm und Drang (Sound and Fury, for those who like Macbeth, may be a nonromantic option).
Paul, all we have is the media and the courts. We otherwise have no government.
We have a crazy man in the White House supported by the legislative branch (a real joke).
To Paul, the rest of the media, and the courts: May Day. Please save us. We citizens are doing all we can out here in the trenches. But we are lobbying sycophants who could care less about this country.
May Day. SOS.
We have a crazy man in the White House supported by the legislative branch (a real joke).
To Paul, the rest of the media, and the courts: May Day. Please save us. We citizens are doing all we can out here in the trenches. But we are lobbying sycophants who could care less about this country.
May Day. SOS.
1
Trump is the "least qualified"? What you obviously can't reconcile yourself to is the election of a president from so far outside the political world. A certain amount of confusion is to be expected when such entrenched paradigms are shattered.
I like the fact that Wal-Mart is howling over the tax "reform" tariff. If this president is really interested in bringing jobs back to America he's have his supporters stop shopping at Wal-Mart whose every item on its shelves are made everywhere but the U.S.
3
I'm waiting for the next 2008 meltdown after the wizards of Wall Street figure out that these clowns can't deliver all the goodies that they want. Land of the free, home of the brave.
4
"they’ve never bothered to understand how anything important works"
On the contrary, they've figured out the most important thing of all: how to steal an election.
On the contrary, they've figured out the most important thing of all: how to steal an election.
1
Agree totally with Krugman. The Republican Party is all about "power" for power's sake. They could care less, really, about any policy issue, just so long as they are "in charge." Whatever happens on any particular issue, it doesn't really matter. Former Governor Jindal wasn't wrong when he referred to his party as the "party of the stupids." And they're just fine with that.
2
The skills to get elected are different from the skills for governing. The Republicans have mastered the art of getting elected. Ironically, one of their key messages, is that government is the problem. Maybe, it's unrealistic to expect good governance, with that sort of mind set ...
3
The Republican party expends more energy on strategies to demean the other side and divide public into us and them, than on ways to help the people of our country. We are finally seeing the true portrait of the Republican Dorian Grey.
3
The GOP has a big problem on their hands. As another article in the NYT pointed out, the Koch Brothers are really mad. They want total repeal of Obamacare.
And the Koch Brothers will now be spending millions for propaganda to achieve that goal. GOP legislators will conform or else.
Or else what? The Koch Bros will not throw money their way at election time?
While both parties cater to the money, the GOP seems to be in overdrive regarding bowing to special interests. So should we even be discussing what Paul Ryan wants to do or should we just look at what the Koch Brothers want?
For future EPA policy should we just go to the fossil fuel companies to find out what will be happening? As for Trump should we just cut to the chase and ask the Mercer Family what they want?
We are dangerously past the point of no return. Something needs to be done about too much private money influencing our government. We need new laws regarding campaign financing and lobbying to start. Government by the highest bidder is the way we are heading.
And the Koch Brothers will now be spending millions for propaganda to achieve that goal. GOP legislators will conform or else.
Or else what? The Koch Bros will not throw money their way at election time?
While both parties cater to the money, the GOP seems to be in overdrive regarding bowing to special interests. So should we even be discussing what Paul Ryan wants to do or should we just look at what the Koch Brothers want?
For future EPA policy should we just go to the fossil fuel companies to find out what will be happening? As for Trump should we just cut to the chase and ask the Mercer Family what they want?
We are dangerously past the point of no return. Something needs to be done about too much private money influencing our government. We need new laws regarding campaign financing and lobbying to start. Government by the highest bidder is the way we are heading.
6
One of the fundamental tenets of Republican ideology is that "government is the problem." The vision is thus to slash and burn all government programs and services that benefit Americans who aren't wealthy GOP donors, and then shrink what's left until they can drown it in the proverbial bathtub.
That ideology equips Republicans to obstruct, "sequester," throw tantrums, and even shut down the government, as they did for the eight years the "illegitimate" Obama was in office. But once they gained full control, their adamant ideological hatred of government translates into an inherent inability to govern. And that's just what we're seeing in Congress. And even if they could govern, their entire agenda is about spite, vindictiveness, and destruction. Their zeal to repeal the ACA is entirely about eradicating Obama from the history books.
Trump only exacerbates his (adopted) party's inability to govern. If he's impeached, the GOP will be no more competent with the orthodox conservative ideologue Pence in the White House.
That ideology equips Republicans to obstruct, "sequester," throw tantrums, and even shut down the government, as they did for the eight years the "illegitimate" Obama was in office. But once they gained full control, their adamant ideological hatred of government translates into an inherent inability to govern. And that's just what we're seeing in Congress. And even if they could govern, their entire agenda is about spite, vindictiveness, and destruction. Their zeal to repeal the ACA is entirely about eradicating Obama from the history books.
Trump only exacerbates his (adopted) party's inability to govern. If he's impeached, the GOP will be no more competent with the orthodox conservative ideologue Pence in the White House.
5
Despite his pre-election stumble, Comey is worthy of another accolade. He also overcame the otherwise consensus position to promptly inform Trump of the intelligence communities' knowledge of the falsity of Pence's denial of Flynn's pre-election contacts with Russian officials. Comey reportedly persuaded the others by indicated that the investigation was ongoing and it was premature to inform the then President about its existence. This is an amazing testament to the fact that Trump was one of the targets of Comey's investigation.
Flynn said he didn't brief the VP on his contact. He never has indicated that he also failed to brief President Trump. Pence says he learned of Flynn's contacts by reading about it in the papers. It follows that Trump elected not to tell his VP that the VP had been making misrepresentations to the public. In other words, Comey was astute and allowed Trump to cook his own goose.
Flynn said he didn't brief the VP on his contact. He never has indicated that he also failed to brief President Trump. Pence says he learned of Flynn's contacts by reading about it in the papers. It follows that Trump elected not to tell his VP that the VP had been making misrepresentations to the public. In other words, Comey was astute and allowed Trump to cook his own goose.
3
Much as I enjoy the collective failures of the three stooges - DT, Mitch and Ryan, this group will remain in power for at a minimum two years. It is NOT sufficient for Democrats to fight them tooth and nail, the Democrats should come out with their proposals. A good place to start will be modification to Obama care with single payer option and adoption of Secretary Clinton's well reasoned and middle of the road economic policies. And start a real conversation with the American people. If they are the only adults in the room, it is time for Democrats to start behaving like one and that means ignoring the orange buffoon's daily tantrums.
3
The story of Republican Lala Land is really a reflection of the delusional "American Dream". Americans, and especially Republicans love pathos, dumbed down versions of a black and white world of good and bad and lots of American flag waving, but with little to no idea about the details, how to handle complexity, diversity, long term problems and certainly not sustainability. It is a dangerously naive culture that can be duped by the simplest bait, such as the hollow slogans like "America first" and "Make America great again". Add it to a free stupid cap and you got their vote. The cheapest votes money can't buy.
This is not democracy, this is a clown show of imbeciles. Unless people get the education and facts about their political system and start thinking and acting like real citizens, nothing will change. It is understandable that large portions of the society don't have the means to this, but it is totally unconscionable that Republican politicians enable this defunct system. Their greed and cowardice has rendered the Republicans obsolete.
This is not democracy, this is a clown show of imbeciles. Unless people get the education and facts about their political system and start thinking and acting like real citizens, nothing will change. It is understandable that large portions of the society don't have the means to this, but it is totally unconscionable that Republican politicians enable this defunct system. Their greed and cowardice has rendered the Republicans obsolete.
3
Column is on the mark. What we have here is a 'Dumb and Dumber' scenario unfolding. The GOP asked for control, got it, and now they need to be reminded to 'be careful what you ask for, you might just get it'.
As for Trump, Gemli has it right "If you’re going to make it on personality, it’s best to have one." Twitter was God's gift to all of us as it has helped unmask Trump's insanity for all to see.
The ACA needs to be adjusted to correct the weaknesses, not repealed. As others have pointed out here, to get it passed concessions had to be made to insurance and drug companies. This will only be possible if the Democrats can unseat the wizard and his followers in the mid terms.
As far as the tax issue: Costco has warned its members that prices may have to rise if trade agreements are ignored and the border tax passes. My small family currently goes to Costco several times a week and we save a fortune. The store is packed, always. So, there is a lot at stake for all of us across the board.
Reminds me of the guy looking at a beautiful woman who says "if I were younger, single, and better looking I might have a shot". That was Dumber who felt that a million to one odds gave him a chance. Ryan and McConnell are D & D, you pick which is which.
As for Trump, Gemli has it right "If you’re going to make it on personality, it’s best to have one." Twitter was God's gift to all of us as it has helped unmask Trump's insanity for all to see.
The ACA needs to be adjusted to correct the weaknesses, not repealed. As others have pointed out here, to get it passed concessions had to be made to insurance and drug companies. This will only be possible if the Democrats can unseat the wizard and his followers in the mid terms.
As far as the tax issue: Costco has warned its members that prices may have to rise if trade agreements are ignored and the border tax passes. My small family currently goes to Costco several times a week and we save a fortune. The store is packed, always. So, there is a lot at stake for all of us across the board.
Reminds me of the guy looking at a beautiful woman who says "if I were younger, single, and better looking I might have a shot". That was Dumber who felt that a million to one odds gave him a chance. Ryan and McConnell are D & D, you pick which is which.
I call them the Keystone GOPs.
Only, unfortunately, their ineptitude isn't funny in the least.
Only, unfortunately, their ineptitude isn't funny in the least.
1
The GOP problem with replacing Obamacare is not that Republicans didn't know that ACA (or a clone) was the only way of maintaining coverage for 20 million newly insured people. The problem is that the GOP never cared about covering those people to begin with. Now that those people _have_ coverage, they're discovering it's harder to remove them, than simply to neglect them in the first place.
1
The Republicans know the ACA is good with the exception of the mandatory coverage. They called it "Obamacare" to focus hatred and bigotry toward Obama and the Democrats to win elections, which they have, and now they don't know what to do to make their followers happy.
The Democrats placated the Republicans by including the private insurance industry in the ACA which went unappreciated. The Democrats made their own trouble. It should have been Medicare for all. It would have sailed through Congress and would have been met with widespread public approval.
As long as Democrats seek approval from Republicans, they will lose as they have.
The Democrats placated the Republicans by including the private insurance industry in the ACA which went unappreciated. The Democrats made their own trouble. It should have been Medicare for all. It would have sailed through Congress and would have been met with widespread public approval.
As long as Democrats seek approval from Republicans, they will lose as they have.
2
Dear Mr. Krugman, Please tell us the names of people influential and powerful enough to send your message immediately and forcefully to all parts of the U.S. through all media. Surely there are well-known, highly respected people who agree with you and would be willing to lend their voices to such an effort. People like me, who wake up every day feeling terribly fearful about the fate of our country, feel powerless to make the Republicans give up their greedy agenda and take steps to save our democracy. New York's senators, and my congressman, agree with you, so we don't need to convince them of the rightness of your views, while senators and representatives elsewhere have zero interest in the opinions of people who are not their constituents. So what can us little people do besides march and write to newspapers and make calls, usually futilely, to Republicans' offices?
2
I often seek out information that supports my point-of-view and so for a long time Dr. Krugman's columns have been a good fit for me. Then, in the course of the last presidential campaign, my point-of-view was supported by the message of Sen. Sanders. Dr. Krugman's unabashed support for Secretary Clinton caused me to grow weary of him. The failure of establishment Democrats to read the tea leaves explains, at least partly, how we ended up in this hell-bound hand basket. That is, of course, water under the bridge and I am back in Dr. Krugman's corner again. This column is an example of why I liked the good doctor back before the storm.
3
How about "Thanks, Hillary," or Thanks, Dems, or for that matter, Thanks, Media? We wouldn't be in this space at all if the party had allowed Bernie to surface. Horrifying and ghastly.
3
What Dr. Krugman and everyone else at the NYT fail to acknowledge is that Trump's supporters don't care about any of this. Indeed, they love, love, love the wrecking ball style President Bannon and his puppet are using to "govern" and they love even more Trump's erratic and factually unsupported statements because, to them, that makes him a "straight shooter." That's bad enough, but worse is the power-drunk GOP's willingness to participate in the madness all for the sake of tax cuts for the rich and getting rid of the ACA.
1
Hopefully all of this hassle will make Trump just stomp his feet and quit. Please! The damage the republican party is doing and will do to our country is astounding and will take decades to fix if they actually follow through on huge military buildup (we dont need new planes and ships), cutting corporate and rich people taxes (dont they get enough already?) and however they mess with healthcare. Seven years and over 50 bills to repeal and replace we find the republicans have no answers, now that their job isnt just to say NO to everything. I bet that infrastructure plan never materializes either, even though Obama tried for years and the republicans said NO. Democrats would go along with that one so it wont happen.
2
Bobby Jindal called the Republicans the "Party of Stupid".
Republicans are now proving him to be a genius.
Republican leadership prided itself on being the "Party of NO!"
But, as any parent of a 3-year-old will tell you, that wears thin when the kid gets to be 30.
The truth is, is that if all you have to do for a decade or so is to bellow, "NO!" to get hugs and loves from your (shrinking) voter base, then when it comes time to actually produce, then you haven't one skill in the world to do it.
When a complete bogus fool comes along whose only claim to fame is urging a moronic chant of "Lock her up!" at the same time he thinks it unnecessary to explain for WHAT, and that Party capers in glee, then that is when that decade of not having to think, of just saying "NO!" is going to jump up and bite you.
The Republicans said that "experience" didn't matter.
Well, they have that now.
Not only is Trump zeroed-out, but after years of "NO!", it turns out that they have no experience either.
They, too, are zeros.
Their offerings?
Poisoned streams, drug-testing the unemployed, fracked water and giving the mentally ill guns.
Oh, yeah. I'm impressed, big time.
Will we survive this?
I truly haven't a clue.
Countries have imploded before.
I think we might this time, too.
We are now back to pre-Johnson and the "War On Poverty".
All gone.
50 years of tooth and nail, gone.
But that's what these type of men do - if they can't loot, they can still destroy.
Not a pretty sight, I agree.
Republicans are now proving him to be a genius.
Republican leadership prided itself on being the "Party of NO!"
But, as any parent of a 3-year-old will tell you, that wears thin when the kid gets to be 30.
The truth is, is that if all you have to do for a decade or so is to bellow, "NO!" to get hugs and loves from your (shrinking) voter base, then when it comes time to actually produce, then you haven't one skill in the world to do it.
When a complete bogus fool comes along whose only claim to fame is urging a moronic chant of "Lock her up!" at the same time he thinks it unnecessary to explain for WHAT, and that Party capers in glee, then that is when that decade of not having to think, of just saying "NO!" is going to jump up and bite you.
The Republicans said that "experience" didn't matter.
Well, they have that now.
Not only is Trump zeroed-out, but after years of "NO!", it turns out that they have no experience either.
They, too, are zeros.
Their offerings?
Poisoned streams, drug-testing the unemployed, fracked water and giving the mentally ill guns.
Oh, yeah. I'm impressed, big time.
Will we survive this?
I truly haven't a clue.
Countries have imploded before.
I think we might this time, too.
We are now back to pre-Johnson and the "War On Poverty".
All gone.
50 years of tooth and nail, gone.
But that's what these type of men do - if they can't loot, they can still destroy.
Not a pretty sight, I agree.
6
For the past eight years, the Republicans have been in the opposition - a place from which you can say anything you please (such as "repeal Obamacare" or "restructure corporate taxes") with impunity. I don't believe that when you are no longer in opposition, what you say matters - and is looked at much more seriously.
The Republicans have mastered opposition. A promotion from opposition to empowered is a classic manifestation of the Peter Principle.
The Republicans have mastered opposition. A promotion from opposition to empowered is a classic manifestation of the Peter Principle.
2
If Republicans are in free-fall, then why do they control the House, Senate and White House? Lots of people like their ideas, even if those ideas make no sense.
2
It continues to amaze me that so many voted for the obstructionists because they wanted action. After 8 years of blocking everything Obama tried to do and refusing to even meet with his Supreme Court pick or discuss his budget, they voted the obstructionists in.
Why would people do this? How can they be so ignorant? Not trying to be an elite coastal here..I really want to know...what possesses people to vote against their interests for a group that has clearly demonstrated their apathy toward the average American?
Note to the world. Paying taxes is the path to a civilized society. Voting for tax breaks when they majority will go toward the wealthy will never trickle down to you and there will be fewer resources to invest in the future.
Why would people do this? How can they be so ignorant? Not trying to be an elite coastal here..I really want to know...what possesses people to vote against their interests for a group that has clearly demonstrated their apathy toward the average American?
Note to the world. Paying taxes is the path to a civilized society. Voting for tax breaks when they majority will go toward the wealthy will never trickle down to you and there will be fewer resources to invest in the future.
2
So this is what "great" looks like.
I would have used a different analogy, mine would use the sense of smell.
I would have used a different analogy, mine would use the sense of smell.
3
Wait until the Obamacare "reform" is made public and millions of people who now cannot afford to continue their Obamacare insurance see large subsidies going to high income people. Hopefully, this will not be the case, but imagine the surprise of Trump supporters when they are thrown out in the cold of the midwest night air. . . .
2
How about this as a gentler hypothesis?
Republican voters are demanding crazy, contradictory things from their legislators. Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and all the assorted GOP "leaders" know that they can't repeal the ACA while also ensuring that there is no drop in coverage. They know that they can't lower taxes and increase revenue. The problem is that their voters demand it, so time after time they promise to do it, generally with understanding that there will always be someone else to point at when it proves impossible. Their problem is that if they don't promise the impossible, they will get primary-ed by someone who will.
Now they are in a conundrum... There is no one else left to blame. They have a clear road and can do pretty much whatever they want. When the inevitable happens, they will blame everyone around them - irresolvable structural issues caused by ObamaCare, the "Obama economy" that Trump inherited, obstruction by the Deep State, media refusing to report the triumphs of the repeal.... whatever.
Ultimately, the problem is not with the GOP caucus refusing to govern. It is with Republican voters who refuse to grow up.
Republican voters are demanding crazy, contradictory things from their legislators. Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and all the assorted GOP "leaders" know that they can't repeal the ACA while also ensuring that there is no drop in coverage. They know that they can't lower taxes and increase revenue. The problem is that their voters demand it, so time after time they promise to do it, generally with understanding that there will always be someone else to point at when it proves impossible. Their problem is that if they don't promise the impossible, they will get primary-ed by someone who will.
Now they are in a conundrum... There is no one else left to blame. They have a clear road and can do pretty much whatever they want. When the inevitable happens, they will blame everyone around them - irresolvable structural issues caused by ObamaCare, the "Obama economy" that Trump inherited, obstruction by the Deep State, media refusing to report the triumphs of the repeal.... whatever.
Ultimately, the problem is not with the GOP caucus refusing to govern. It is with Republican voters who refuse to grow up.
7
Well, I knew it, Paul. Now you are writing exactly what I wrote, in my comments to your columns some nine and ten years ago.
Note especially at the end of this current one: "...a party that gave up hard thinking in favor of empty sloganeering ends up in charge of [actual] policy..."
I have long said that the Republican party only wants "ringers" in executive positions---especially since the 1964 electoral defeat of Barry Goldwater. Somewhere, in their shallow background (would not call it "deep" today), the Republican Establishment suppose that an obedient ventriloquist's dummy is always better than a self-motivated thinker-for-her- or-himself who might possible engender an orginal idea.
We all remember the great tillerman Zedong Mao, who as Mao Zedong presided again and again over the empty phrase campaign with all the fantastic progress whose fuse was lit thereby. Great leaps and bounds, hundreds of flowers, a real cultural revolution. Today's Republicans since Jimmy Carter, to a T.
Harbingers of this dread syndrome existed, prior to Goldwater. Look over the presidencies of Harding, Coolidge and---oops!---Hoover (who though was basically wrong, did think for himself). I base his shortcomings on Quakerism.
Nobody religious need ever get elected president of the United States, The temptation to approve legislated morality is too great, see?
Check our Constitutional Amendments. If not dense to the point of total opacity, you will see what I mean.
Note especially at the end of this current one: "...a party that gave up hard thinking in favor of empty sloganeering ends up in charge of [actual] policy..."
I have long said that the Republican party only wants "ringers" in executive positions---especially since the 1964 electoral defeat of Barry Goldwater. Somewhere, in their shallow background (would not call it "deep" today), the Republican Establishment suppose that an obedient ventriloquist's dummy is always better than a self-motivated thinker-for-her- or-himself who might possible engender an orginal idea.
We all remember the great tillerman Zedong Mao, who as Mao Zedong presided again and again over the empty phrase campaign with all the fantastic progress whose fuse was lit thereby. Great leaps and bounds, hundreds of flowers, a real cultural revolution. Today's Republicans since Jimmy Carter, to a T.
Harbingers of this dread syndrome existed, prior to Goldwater. Look over the presidencies of Harding, Coolidge and---oops!---Hoover (who though was basically wrong, did think for himself). I base his shortcomings on Quakerism.
Nobody religious need ever get elected president of the United States, The temptation to approve legislated morality is too great, see?
Check our Constitutional Amendments. If not dense to the point of total opacity, you will see what I mean.
1
The end result of party dominance over thoughtful governing policy is the GOP. Protecting safe congressional seats and continuing voter suppression will not correct fundamental issues with the Republican party. Until they realize that the concerns of voters are more important than the interests of donors, there will be no course correction.
Keeping base voters ill informed is only a short term cynical tactic, not viable governing strategy in a democracy dependent on an informed electorate for its sustained vitality.
Let them twist and pray that the truth will win in the end.
Keeping base voters ill informed is only a short term cynical tactic, not viable governing strategy in a democracy dependent on an informed electorate for its sustained vitality.
Let them twist and pray that the truth will win in the end.
Agree with everything, except that this is not something new. Remember when republicans had the reins of government from 2002 until 2006? Remember what they got done? Except for a stupid illegal invasion of Iraq I can't either.
They have been campaigning in t rump land for four decades on abortion and keeping the base riled up about it; yet when they had the halls of congress they did nothing nationally about it. (Without legal abortions how would they rile up the base?)
The party that has campaigned to "drown the government in the bathtub" could not really be counted on to run that government, could it?
A poll was released before the 2014 election that showed 60% of voters did not know which party controlled congress. That is a problem with our knowledge of civics and history, it is also a problem in the press.
So, if we are seeing a reawakening of our 4th Estate maybe a majority of voters will stop pretending that both parties are equally to blame for our present situation.
And that situation is: the United States of America does NOT have a functioning government and might not for another 2 to 4 years.
This is a big Nation with 300+ million of US, that is a complicated enterprise whether done big or small. But it needs to be done.
Ryan, McConnell and t rump will prove to be not up to the task.
They have been campaigning in t rump land for four decades on abortion and keeping the base riled up about it; yet when they had the halls of congress they did nothing nationally about it. (Without legal abortions how would they rile up the base?)
The party that has campaigned to "drown the government in the bathtub" could not really be counted on to run that government, could it?
A poll was released before the 2014 election that showed 60% of voters did not know which party controlled congress. That is a problem with our knowledge of civics and history, it is also a problem in the press.
So, if we are seeing a reawakening of our 4th Estate maybe a majority of voters will stop pretending that both parties are equally to blame for our present situation.
And that situation is: the United States of America does NOT have a functioning government and might not for another 2 to 4 years.
This is a big Nation with 300+ million of US, that is a complicated enterprise whether done big or small. But it needs to be done.
Ryan, McConnell and t rump will prove to be not up to the task.
1
McConnell with his know-it-all smirk, Ryan with his faux smile plastered on, and Trump with his scowl all paint a pretty picture of their feelings towards the American public that Trump is happy to screw over us but is worried about the perception that his presidency is screwed up. Donald needs to be hoisted with his own petard, and the proper investigation of the Russian connection may "delve one yard below their mines/And blow them at the moon."
The Republican Party led by these enablers will go down in history in infamy because the foul practice in which they engage will turn itself on them, the treacherous instruments in their hands envenomed will ultimately do harm to them, so smile away enemies of the state while you still can.
The Republican Party led by these enablers will go down in history in infamy because the foul practice in which they engage will turn itself on them, the treacherous instruments in their hands envenomed will ultimately do harm to them, so smile away enemies of the state while you still can.
1
Good thinking. Except I have one question pertinent to this commentary: can anyone remember a time in at least the last half century when the Republicans actually *did* engage in hard, serious thinking?
"But the broader Republican quagmire — the party’s failure so far to make significant progress toward any of its policy promises..."
Quagmire? How about a blessing in disguise? What sane person(s) would want to see "Significant Progress" in implementing the Campaign Threats of then candidate Trump and the standing threats-disguised as policy of the GOP? Do we really want the type of banking "reform" threatened (I mean- promised) by Trump? NATO threats; environmental threats- and so on? If postponing this monstrosity of governance via the Orwellian Conduit called Republicanism is a Quagmire- I hope it lasts.
Quagmire? How about a blessing in disguise? What sane person(s) would want to see "Significant Progress" in implementing the Campaign Threats of then candidate Trump and the standing threats-disguised as policy of the GOP? Do we really want the type of banking "reform" threatened (I mean- promised) by Trump? NATO threats; environmental threats- and so on? If postponing this monstrosity of governance via the Orwellian Conduit called Republicanism is a Quagmire- I hope it lasts.
3
The first bipartisan order of business is the removal of the lunatic and his corrupt regime in the White House.
Until then, nothing gets done.
Until then, nothing gets done.
1
Well spoken, Dr Krugman. But it's getting worse for Republicans. The Koch brothers are unleashing lots of money to put out ads to try and force the Republicans to repeal Obama care. To resist the opposition to that repeal and just pull the trigger. Problem is, all this time,as you point out, the Republicans have promoted that they would do that to an unsuspecting/uninformed public. But now they are fighting a real plan. And a more informed public. And this plan they will try and pass will not provide the coverage in terms of numbers and in terms of breadth of coverage the existing program does. It's one thing to say you'll be a winner selling a product. It's another to know you'll be a loser because now you see what they are really trying to do.
2
I really believe in listening to Trump, that he is mentally unstable. The fact that the Republican party backs everything he says and does in also totally disturbing.
Party over country.
Party over country.
2
When I was growing up we had a mongrel collie that was demonic about chasing cars on the road that passed in front of our farm. So I appreciate the metaphor of "the dog finally catching the bus...and then what?" Well, now the Republicans are waiting for the dog to learn how to drive the bus.
The Republicans ran on a platform designed to weaken the federal government and appease Russian aggression in the Ukraine. No wonder they smile and support Trump when he works to pay back Putin.
1
They'e not ready to govern and have no intent to. Their intent is to tear the place down and have brazenly said so for over a decade starting with their bathtub and swamp tropes. And that's the problem. Luntz et al. when they first floated these out knew they were metaphorical. The idiots in the gop, and here I mean the politicians failed to comprehend it wasn't literal. When they took it out on the road for election, they presented it as really killing government and those who are really suffering economically needed someone and something to take it out on. They recruited an angry mob, replete with pitchforks to vote what had been a metaphor into a literal policy that the above mentioned idiots now are taking as a mandate to tear the place down.
What do you do when those who can't pass the psych eval question: What does the saying "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" mean?
Literally and metaphorically, they are throwing stones at their own glass houses. At this point, I say let them and the sooner the better so we can clear the whole lot of them out of government that effects all of us.
What do you do when those who can't pass the psych eval question: What does the saying "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" mean?
Literally and metaphorically, they are throwing stones at their own glass houses. At this point, I say let them and the sooner the better so we can clear the whole lot of them out of government that effects all of us.
2
The GOP gave up governing long ago because their constituents don't force them to work or hold them accountable. The GOP patronizes and exploits their base because they can. I blame their perpetually devoted, ignorant constituents and the lack of voter turnout more than I blame the politicians. The GOP is happy as pigs at a trough but much dirtier.
2
Please tell me, does anyone think that there is the remotest possibility that either Ryan or McConnell could ever win in a National rather than local election?
I cannot fathom that there is a snowball's chance in hades that either of these characters could win re-election if that depended on voters outside of their own districts.
I cannot fathom that there is a snowball's chance in hades that either of these characters could win re-election if that depended on voters outside of their own districts.
On my browser, the identifying tab for this window reads: A Party Not Ready to Go.
That says it as well as, and much more succinctly than, I could.
That says it as well as, and much more succinctly than, I could.
Saw a Trump voter I knew at the cafe yesterday. I asked him (without the hint of a smirk, I swear) how he liked his guy in office.
The last time I asked this, he said, "Give him a chance. Let's see what he does."
This time, he muttered, "He's a joke," and hurried past me.
There is hope. And if it results in Republican lawmakers being the last to call Trump on his behavior and his many problems, so that they can shove their bad agenda past—well, it might finally give that party the reputation it deserves.
The last time I asked this, he said, "Give him a chance. Let's see what he does."
This time, he muttered, "He's a joke," and hurried past me.
There is hope. And if it results in Republican lawmakers being the last to call Trump on his behavior and his many problems, so that they can shove their bad agenda past—well, it might finally give that party the reputation it deserves.
1
GOP equals Greed over Principle.
Isn't it ironic that, historically speaking, whenever the Republicans are in control, "We the people" suffer most.
Isn't it ironic that, historically speaking, whenever the Republicans are in control, "We the people" suffer most.
4
The president is a danger, and the republican congress is a joke. The constitutional crisis is upon us in all its glory. God save the United States.
1
The health care thing is going to be a debacle. Just count on that. The best hope is that they can't get enough support for the main ideas. The tax thing will also be a problem as you will always be choosing winners and losers when you do tax reform. We all know the rich are going to be winners no matter what.
I guess what will be important is whether they tank the economy. the thing this country has going for it is the baby boomers are throwing huge amounts of money into the economy with pensions, social security and medicare. The problem for the RS is they want to screws those things up also.
I guess what will be important is whether they tank the economy. the thing this country has going for it is the baby boomers are throwing huge amounts of money into the economy with pensions, social security and medicare. The problem for the RS is they want to screws those things up also.
Be it Democrat or Republican there is an inherent problem with a political Big Tent. Factions. Before a factious party can govern cohesively they need to form some kind of consensus. What builds consensus in this sort of political climate?
Mr. Krugman might be right. Way too early to tell.
Mr. Krugman might be right. Way too early to tell.
1
The key part of any confidence game is this - get out of town before the marks realize they've been conned. That's the real problem for the GOP. The know what they want to do - they just can't figure out how to escape the consequences.
374
The feckless GOP Congressional leadership is further handicapped by a clueless, unqualified President who is not a true conservative; Drumpf changed political parties 5 times before he declared his candidacy in 2015 GOP primaries.
The wheels are falling off the Conservative wagon, despite making a Machiavellian bargain & selling out their political souls to President Mephistopheles.
I only hope the GOP political confusion & geopolitical weakness doesn't end in another terrorist attack on our shores, thereby enabling Drumpf to exaggerate the domestic threats & declare Martial Law (or some similar curtailment of Civil Liberties).
The wheels are falling off the Conservative wagon, despite making a Machiavellian bargain & selling out their political souls to President Mephistopheles.
I only hope the GOP political confusion & geopolitical weakness doesn't end in another terrorist attack on our shores, thereby enabling Drumpf to exaggerate the domestic threats & declare Martial Law (or some similar curtailment of Civil Liberties).
4
The Bush, Jr., eight years should have taught us a great deal about Republicans' inability to govern, especially when those years were followed by the smooth-running, free of scandal years of President Obama. Six weeks of Trump have left most of us reeling and stunned especially as we realize how inept, crass, blind, and greedy Congressional Republicans are.
This is the gang that can't shoot straight. Turns out, it is also the gang that can't spell. Whoever could have believed the GOP could fail so miserably and fall so low?
This is the gang that can't shoot straight. Turns out, it is also the gang that can't spell. Whoever could have believed the GOP could fail so miserably and fall so low?
3
Great photo of Ryan, McConnell and the President by Al Drago at the White House Republican lawmakers meeting last week. Major smarm from Paul and Mitch. major anger from the Trump. More than unqualified in every way (except height) for our 45th Presidency, what can be done to further sink the GOP quagmire which has been faking it for more years than we can count? The Republican Party - assuredly not ready to govern, Dr. Paul - owns the Pottery Barn now and they all, from the leader (Trump) on down (and we know fish rots from the head) need to pick up all the shattered pieces of our Democracy. We the people demand a President who is ready to govern. Will Pence be that man? Or someone as yet unprognosticated to give the American people their democracy back again? The only thing our carney-barker, Wizard of Oz, Cardiff Giant hoax "unpresidented" President knows is how to Tweet his anger and lies to his people (not us).
1
History books, if we still have such things in the future will have to call this the great calling of the conservative bluff. Fox News, Breitbart, the Republican Party all went out on a limb creating fake news about President Obama and the world for the faithful white working class voters. Then the limb snapped and somehow, perhaps with Russian collusion Donald Trump ended up in power. Suddenly ranting conspiracy theorists are faced with running the show themselves. Like the heckler put up in front by the teacher to lead the class. This is one of those put up or shut up moments. Okay, no more whining and excuses, what have you got? Let me guess. More whining and excuses. And it's still President Obama's fault.
Right now a well organized Green/Labor Party could come in and really clean house. Do the job Trump supposedly promised to do. Bernie Sanders needs to pull together the threads now. We are overdue.
Right now a well organized Green/Labor Party could come in and really clean house. Do the job Trump supposedly promised to do. Bernie Sanders needs to pull together the threads now. We are overdue.
1
The ACA took years to finally screw up the healthcare system. Expecting a fix in 2 the first two months of the new administration is a bit naive, The corporate tax structure has taken a century to mutate.
Huh? Where were you living before the ACA took effect? ACA is a direct result of health care already being screwed up, uber expensive, inaccessible etc. etc etc
1
On the other hand, all sorts of meaningful regulations and programs have been gutted. It's hard to know what's the sideshow and the main event in this three ring circus.
2
Republicans are confused. ACA was clearly "bad" until constituents starting yelling it was "good" (or at least better than nothing). Meanwhile, President Trump is bored and lonely. He misses the glamour of Manhattan surrounded by his buddies and sycophants. He misses hosting the Apprentice TV show. And he's an insomniac. So his Twitter fingers are tingling and twitching into action all night and early in the morning.
2
Yep. As my friend once put it "the dog has finally caught the car" and doesn't know what to do with it. The Republicans are great at complaining about government, but don't have a clue how to govern. It shouldn't come as a surprise, really, since they don't believe in governing in the first place. They would return us to a feudal system.
3
The ACA "cure" is easy to predict--allow worthless insurance to be sold for next to nothing. The headlines will say mandated coverage is much more economical, the last paragraph will explain that nothing is covered.
3
They will weaken Obamacare enough so it collapses, high prices, less options, loses popularity, then blame Obama and the Democrats for it, and repeal it.
3
McConnell has never been about governing; he has shown, over and over again that it's all about him, the republican party, and control. Regarding Ryan and his tax proposals, in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. And as for Trump, he's confirming what many have suspected; namely, that he's a bit too far to one side of the normalcy spectrum to call him balanced.
4
Unfortunately, 45% of voters who voted for Trump only believe in an empty sloganeering and somehow either forgot or lost the ability to think about the issues. I am afraid that its the trend that is not going to go away. To them, just like Trump, the long details are too difficult to read or to understand and somehow it sounds like some gibberish talks that elites like. Twitter feeds? Yes!! A long comprehensive explanation of the subject? No!! Do I blame myself for the problem? No!! Let other people take the blame. How can we blame GOP when they represents the people who voted for them? Let them have what they voted for.
3
Paul, remember how the Republicans kept saying after 2008 that if they ever got the reins back they would not repeat their mistakes of the past regarding driving up the debt and deficits, turning a Clinton surplus into a Bush deficit? Instead, they would turn the deficit into a surplus and drive down the debt. They would fix it just like Obamacare. Have you noticed that Since last November you do not hear very many Republicans talking deficits and debt?
4
The Republican Party has elevated stupidity into a political art form. Intellect is considered elitist and too removed from the common folk ... and the common folk value proximity to merit. Think Bush and Gore. The stagnation they imposed these last few years remains; Trump is the outcome, government of a personality disorder with a twitter account.
1
We are watching a train wreck in slow motion. The trump presidency, starting with Mr. trump himself, is crumbling from sheer incompetency, his instability increasing with every crisis.
The constant smirk on Paul Ryan's face says it all. Finally he has the tools to wreck all the good that is in this country.
The constant smirk on Paul Ryan's face says it all. Finally he has the tools to wreck all the good that is in this country.
3
Never forget that for many congressional folks the $175,000 paycheck is big money and much more than they'd get back in Janesville, Longview or Russellville. And there are benefits including a fat pension. Oh, and when they "retire" from public service, the defense industry, NRA or some other far right organization will hire them at a hefty salary. It's all part of a plan.
Ryan and Rubio and Cruz really need the job, the salary, as do most other GOP pols who rail against big government, yet make their living off of it. However, the others involved in the con game, like Issa and McConnell, are rich, rich, and more rich. They are in it merely for the power and access.
Ryan and Rubio and Cruz really need the job, the salary, as do most other GOP pols who rail against big government, yet make their living off of it. However, the others involved in the con game, like Issa and McConnell, are rich, rich, and more rich. They are in it merely for the power and access.
1
For years the Republican Party attacked President Obama for practically everything he did. Now that they are in power, it seems that they are unable to govern.
This should be no surprise to anyone. From their mentally unstable president to their spineless and superficial leaders, the Party doesn't have a clue. After years of being the party of 'no', they only know how to oppose the future, not embrace it.
They are pitiful.
This should be no surprise to anyone. From their mentally unstable president to their spineless and superficial leaders, the Party doesn't have a clue. After years of being the party of 'no', they only know how to oppose the future, not embrace it.
They are pitiful.
3
Rank-and-File Republicans will continue to do absolutely nothing about the Trump fiasco until it hits them in their wallet. If the stock market continues to climb and their potfolios contine to grow, they will continue to stick their head in the sand and they will act as if everything is normal.
2
'... the party’s failure so far to make significant progress toward any of its policy promises.' Really? The Trump appointees have already undone over 90 regulations protecting us from the depredations of bankers, oil industry polluters, big pharma price gougers ... How's that for progress, suckers.
3
Where is the talk of ending the electoral college? Where is the talk of ending gerrymandering? These are the polices that keep these disgusting, know nothings in office. They keep losing the popular vote and still remain in office. Why should they ever do anything that helps people? That would require actual work. They don't have to.
1
A Real Estate Salesman was elected President on a few happy faced phrases directed to the right constituents. Voters had the incorrect expectation that hidden under the phrases was a least a trace of knowledge, and managerial expertise to responsibly delegate responsibility for handling 4 million employees. After all, prior presidents exploited snappy phrases and then showed effective capabilities in running the government. Trump unfortunately has none of the large organization skills of his predecessors. He's continually running on empty and will as long as he is President.
Republican supporters will be very slow to realize their error. The burning hatred of the loss of freedom because of in Obamacare seems to fuel their enthusiasm for their beloved candidate. Trump blames his incompetent blunders on Obama and Clinton and even his own staff and his followers cheer.
Only when one major or several minor catastrophes strike will the hard core Trump supporters realize where the blame lies. I shudder at the damage that may be caused before the realization dawns.
Republican supporters will be very slow to realize their error. The burning hatred of the loss of freedom because of in Obamacare seems to fuel their enthusiasm for their beloved candidate. Trump blames his incompetent blunders on Obama and Clinton and even his own staff and his followers cheer.
Only when one major or several minor catastrophes strike will the hard core Trump supporters realize where the blame lies. I shudder at the damage that may be caused before the realization dawns.
5
"it would remove the incentives the current tax system creates for corporations to load up on debt"
Taxes are not the only thing driving excessive debt. They are probably not the major factor, by which I mean it would continue even if the tax law was entirely different.
The main driver is hostile takeovers. Mitt Romney's behavior. Companies with a cash position were taken over to get that cash. They were taken over with debt funded moves, then raped.
Loading up on debt is insurance against hostile takeover. As long as junk bond hostile takeovers are a feature of our business world, they won't dare to hold cash or even try to avoid debt.
Taxes are not the only thing driving excessive debt. They are probably not the major factor, by which I mean it would continue even if the tax law was entirely different.
The main driver is hostile takeovers. Mitt Romney's behavior. Companies with a cash position were taken over to get that cash. They were taken over with debt funded moves, then raped.
Loading up on debt is insurance against hostile takeover. As long as junk bond hostile takeovers are a feature of our business world, they won't dare to hold cash or even try to avoid debt.
"the plan being advanced by Paul Ryan, the House speaker, is actually not too bad, "
The plan is a vast improvement - when Mr. Krugman gives credit to Mr. Ryan, whom in the past he called a con man, a fraud, and worse, you know it is.
But Mr. Krugman misjudges the reason why the plan has few hopes to succeed. It is not tax avoidance as posited, it is that the President's personal dislike of Paul Ryan.
To quote the James Astill (Washington correspondent of The Economist)
"Yet Mr Trump hates Mr Ryan, because the Speaker in effect ditched him a month before the election, after the release of a videotape in which America’s president-elect was heard boasting of his ability to take sexual liberties with women. "
The plan is a vast improvement - when Mr. Krugman gives credit to Mr. Ryan, whom in the past he called a con man, a fraud, and worse, you know it is.
But Mr. Krugman misjudges the reason why the plan has few hopes to succeed. It is not tax avoidance as posited, it is that the President's personal dislike of Paul Ryan.
To quote the James Astill (Washington correspondent of The Economist)
"Yet Mr Trump hates Mr Ryan, because the Speaker in effect ditched him a month before the election, after the release of a videotape in which America’s president-elect was heard boasting of his ability to take sexual liberties with women. "
The G.O.P. has put itself in a stalemate position. The want to propose , enact and then run out of the room in fear of the voter rejection and reactions. Actions have consequences however the GOP has presented itself time and time again as agents of the wonderful invisible hand that supposedly governs markets and our national economy . However the voters now no longer accept the easter bunny , Santa Clause or invisible hands as explanations for anything.
Voters have every right to hold responsible the congress , senate and president for the collateral and direct damaging effects of their acts. The EPA and clean water , health care and life expectancy, taxation and loss of social programs are not incidentally tied to each other , they are causally tied to each other and those that think otherwise should not be surprised when the voters turn against them in angry droves. Yes… they will run and no they wound't be able to hide ! I think they know that..or at least I hope so.
Voters have every right to hold responsible the congress , senate and president for the collateral and direct damaging effects of their acts. The EPA and clean water , health care and life expectancy, taxation and loss of social programs are not incidentally tied to each other , they are causally tied to each other and those that think otherwise should not be surprised when the voters turn against them in angry droves. Yes… they will run and no they wound't be able to hide ! I think they know that..or at least I hope so.
2
There is no doubt about the problem with reform of Obamacare. I did note a country from asia giving startup money for biotech companies. The combines the private with public sector in medicine. Instead we already have what is called a version of the trump wall.
There is more going on here, than at first glance:
Congress has elected officials whose entire life and support functions around their job. This means that all are frightened of any sound bite that could be used against their ongoing reelections. This has morphed, successfully as a Congress actually achieving very little.
The electorate has created this scenario by reelecting individuals to Congress.
The GOP has assisted this by gerrymandering very safe districts, so there is no worry about hearing other views.
Finally, the TParty has elected individuals who fear deficit spending, although they have little understanding of deficit spending or how a Government actually functions.
The worse offense, in regard to Governing, is we have a totally unhinged President and Congress will fail to perform their duties because they most embrace the party's line. That means they can't condemn a Republican President, only a Democratic President.
Congress has elected officials whose entire life and support functions around their job. This means that all are frightened of any sound bite that could be used against their ongoing reelections. This has morphed, successfully as a Congress actually achieving very little.
The electorate has created this scenario by reelecting individuals to Congress.
The GOP has assisted this by gerrymandering very safe districts, so there is no worry about hearing other views.
Finally, the TParty has elected individuals who fear deficit spending, although they have little understanding of deficit spending or how a Government actually functions.
The worse offense, in regard to Governing, is we have a totally unhinged President and Congress will fail to perform their duties because they most embrace the party's line. That means they can't condemn a Republican President, only a Democratic President.
My venting via comments in the NY Times during the Obama administration had frequently been about the "deadbeats" in Congress, namely the Republicans controlling Congress that do not want to do any real work, satisfied in themselves by opposing anything proposed by Obama.
Your op-ed, Dr. Krugman, vindicates my lament to some degree but adds the dimension of incompetence, an aspect that I should have considered but did not. I thought only their sloth was imperiling us, but in adding incompetence to the mix, as you did with this piece today, that puts the nation in more jeopardy than I imagined.
This is much worse than I originally thought, and the possibility of being delivered from this American nightmare will not likely come soon, unfortunately.
Your op-ed, Dr. Krugman, vindicates my lament to some degree but adds the dimension of incompetence, an aspect that I should have considered but did not. I thought only their sloth was imperiling us, but in adding incompetence to the mix, as you did with this piece today, that puts the nation in more jeopardy than I imagined.
This is much worse than I originally thought, and the possibility of being delivered from this American nightmare will not likely come soon, unfortunately.
5
We all know how syncophantic republicans are, but the democrats are no less so. The current leadership inspires no confidence, and there is no savior in sight.
Howard Dean was the last good party leader.
Howard Dean was the last good party leader.
2
It seems like it is plenty ready to do what they promised. We just have to watch them carefully in congress to make sure they don't go back and do go forward to do what was promised. I think both Trump and congress are moving way too slowly, but I am an action oriented person.
A chunk of the GOP believes that the Earth is 6,000 years old and that dinosaurs and humans lived together. No surprise they have no idea what they are doing since a party of ignorant people will elected ignorant people to represent them.
3
It's a HUGE chunk. Iirc, something like half of GOP those in Congress are creationists.
1
The only thing the Republican Party has going for it is blaming someone or something else for their pathetic racist know nothing platform. The Republican Party is a walking breathing platitude of misguided tenets. They are pathetic, but so are the democrats moderate enough to believe that this is okay, while passively allowing this regime to move forward.
3
Trump et al is like the mongrel dog that runs out and chases cars as they go by. Loud and obnoxious but has no clue what to do if it were to catch the car. Well, Trump et al has caught the car and like the dog is confused, ineffective and has resorted to simply howling at the moon.
2
The architect in principal of the Affordable Care Act, or health insurance for all was Senator Ted Kennedy. What are the chances that he would die of a brain tumor?
Missing from this article was identifying the other essential element of governing---leadership from the top. Every effective organization has its managers, congress in this case, but the also have a CEO who provides purpose and strategy. Our current CEO is both intellectually and temperamentally incapable for providing purpose or strategy---so both those smiling "leaders" of our legislature--Ryan and McConnell--are what they are--fumbling managers who would have been fired from Walmart. The good news in all of this is this traveling circus we see each day will minimize the damage they could do with a competent CEO and competent managers. Should add, many Trump supporters said Trump's business credentials would serve the country well...does anyone believe now that any Fortune 500 company would hire him to be their CEO?
1
It's time to start thinking about how to deal with President Pence.
And I am going to do everything in my power to get progressives into power in 2018. Screw the corporatist neoliberals.
And no one should forget that Krugman had a big part in electing Trump.
And I am going to do everything in my power to get progressives into power in 2018. Screw the corporatist neoliberals.
And no one should forget that Krugman had a big part in electing Trump.
1
Not surprising that a party full of politicians with character flaws would be led by a guy who has a witches brew of horrible personality and character traits. How a party that has sunk to the level they have could control Congress,the Presidency and most State governments is one of the great tradgies of American history.
1
Why is the nation facing a mess where the party in power looks at a blank wall and says, "Now what?" Consider this: there is little or nothing to gain by being responsible.
AM talk radio, dominated by the right across America, like "conservative" blogs, created a culture of complaint. That is their purpose. Complain, complain, complain. If you doubt this, tune into Rush Limbaugh at noon today and, although I haven't listened to him in over a decade, you can hear him complain for three hours. "I'll tell you, my friends..." Then, switch on Fox News tonight and bathe in it for a few more hours.
Next, blame the campaign consultants. These "professionals", these politician whisperers, have taken over not just politics but American government at the congressional level. Their mantra is this: don't give your opposition anything they can use against you in the next election. So, just don't do anything? Yeah, great idea.
Out of power, the Republicans had fun complaining. Obama was the worst thing to happen to America since Twinkies were taken off the market. He was evil. He was not merely that, he was, in their view, part of a plot to "destroy America"!
Having fed themselves on the sugar of complaint, the Republicans don't know what a decent meal even looks like. Here's what will happen: they will mess around for two yrs., then pass a lot of stuff right before the next congressional elections and hope no one notices in time to mount opposition to their re-elections.
AM talk radio, dominated by the right across America, like "conservative" blogs, created a culture of complaint. That is their purpose. Complain, complain, complain. If you doubt this, tune into Rush Limbaugh at noon today and, although I haven't listened to him in over a decade, you can hear him complain for three hours. "I'll tell you, my friends..." Then, switch on Fox News tonight and bathe in it for a few more hours.
Next, blame the campaign consultants. These "professionals", these politician whisperers, have taken over not just politics but American government at the congressional level. Their mantra is this: don't give your opposition anything they can use against you in the next election. So, just don't do anything? Yeah, great idea.
Out of power, the Republicans had fun complaining. Obama was the worst thing to happen to America since Twinkies were taken off the market. He was evil. He was not merely that, he was, in their view, part of a plot to "destroy America"!
Having fed themselves on the sugar of complaint, the Republicans don't know what a decent meal even looks like. Here's what will happen: they will mess around for two yrs., then pass a lot of stuff right before the next congressional elections and hope no one notices in time to mount opposition to their re-elections.
1
They by way of the Heritage--pre-Dement--Foundation gave our Western Civilization "Romney Care."
POTUS Obama did his best, but pragmatic reality & compromise was
to synthesize the Right and the Left.
The private health insurance industry rather than single-payer a la Medicare, stayed in the expensive "game" as per apparently emulating Switzerland's arrangement.
Never mind that a very nice percentage allegedly goes into the insurance companies' pockets.
The GOP is apparently proposing tax credits, medical accounts, interstate medical health insurance, blah, blah, and blah.
In other words, we're apparently back to Obamacare, and the GOP true believers can blame everyone except their own feckless GOP.
I don't like my cheap shots either.
POTUS Obama did his best, but pragmatic reality & compromise was
to synthesize the Right and the Left.
The private health insurance industry rather than single-payer a la Medicare, stayed in the expensive "game" as per apparently emulating Switzerland's arrangement.
Never mind that a very nice percentage allegedly goes into the insurance companies' pockets.
The GOP is apparently proposing tax credits, medical accounts, interstate medical health insurance, blah, blah, and blah.
In other words, we're apparently back to Obamacare, and the GOP true believers can blame everyone except their own feckless GOP.
I don't like my cheap shots either.
This is the real problem of gerrymandering. It's not that one party gets to keep a seat for eternity but since there is no real competition of ideas the laziest thinkers (or people who can't think at all) end up in those seats.
3
Republicans publicly worship at the altar of the free market. Yet when the Affordable Care Act was being crafted, Republicans would not allow a public option, which would have encouraged competition, the hallmark of a free market. Perhaps the Republicans worship at a different altar altogether.
President Reagan famously once sait "government is the problem." Now nearly 40 years later, we know that it is Republicans in government that are the problem.
2
It's impossible to imagine how the country can withstand four years of Trump, and at the rate he's going it's impossible to imagine that Trump himself will survive for four years. The pace of his outrages has not ceased, and it's not even been 90 days yet. He is said to be frustrated because his presidency is taken as a national joke. He doesn't seem to grasp that every crisis his administration has faced so far has been entirely of his own making. It is becoming more and more clear that Trump cannot survive for four years. He will either succumb to the strain, or resign, or be impeached. But, none of us can possibly make it through four years of this nonsense.
That leaves the question of who is prepared to step into the breach? The Republican Party is in such disarray that I'm not sure we'd be any better off after Trump. Who is Pence, and is he ready to stand in front? So far, he's shown nothing but his excellent credentials for being a second banana. Ryan has tangled himself up in his own crackpot theories and doesn't seem able to either rally the troops, or step ahead of them. The rest of the GOP is like a bunch of windup toys, going every which way, bumping into each other. Any way you look at it, either with Trump or without him, the country is in trouble.
That leaves the question of who is prepared to step into the breach? The Republican Party is in such disarray that I'm not sure we'd be any better off after Trump. Who is Pence, and is he ready to stand in front? So far, he's shown nothing but his excellent credentials for being a second banana. Ryan has tangled himself up in his own crackpot theories and doesn't seem able to either rally the troops, or step ahead of them. The rest of the GOP is like a bunch of windup toys, going every which way, bumping into each other. Any way you look at it, either with Trump or without him, the country is in trouble.
424
How can you seriously claim that the party that controls both houses, the presidency, and 2/3 of state legislatures is in "disarray". Wake up, man. The danger is real.
2
When the premise of a party is that government is a necessary evil that should be minimized, the party will find it difficult to accept the responsibility of governing. If the Republicans could accept that even a minimal government in the modern world is something outside their present ideology, perhaps they could reset their expectations and contribute to the task of governing. I believe most Republican representatives in Washington understand this, but their constituents demand they deny this reality. They are in a tough spot when put in charge because of the unrealistic demand to simultaneously govern and dismantle the governing apparatus.
The other premise of this party is that the private sector is much better able to address many of the government 'responsibilities.' In the area of healthcare, their premise is that the health insurance and health care industry, if the consortium could only be relieved of crippling regulation. The trajectory of health care costs pre-ACA care vs post-ACA would appear to refute that premise.
The other premise of this party is that the private sector is much better able to address many of the government 'responsibilities.' In the area of healthcare, their premise is that the health insurance and health care industry, if the consortium could only be relieved of crippling regulation. The trajectory of health care costs pre-ACA care vs post-ACA would appear to refute that premise.
3
Let's just not forget the absurdity of the politicking around the ACA. It was designed using Republican ideas and RomneyCare served as a blueprint. Republicans insist on private market solutions for everything, and the only way to expand insurance coverage to almost every American through private insurances is the ACA. To build a house you need walls, a roof, a door and windows along with an interior. Over seven years Republicans claimed that this house would not stand and shelter the uninsured. Now they "find out" that indeed a house needs to look like a house. And you can either tear it down or renovate it. They promised castles in the clouds. Winning elections indeed has consequences, like rude awakening to reality.
240
The Republican Party of years past represented Conservative fiscal values, a strong national defense, and the "What's good for General Motors is good for the nation" mentality. At some point the Republican Party changed... perhaps with the Tea Party Movement. Somehow the Tea Party folks thought that our government should run cost-free and seemed to question the value of government at all. When the Republicans saw this grass root movement grow they became fearful. The Republican Party morphed, absorbed it, and adopted some of its nihilistic beliefs. Still trying to protect their donor base, they became the Do-Nothing Party. Easier to Do-Nothing when out of power than when in power. Good luck to us all.
8
The change in the Republican Party began long before the Tea Party: It began with operatives like Lee Atwater and Grover Norquist bringing in a 'scorched earth' approach to governance - no compromise, no more notion of an 'honorable' opposition. To accomplish this, St. Ronald threw out the correctly named Fairness Doctrine on political speech over public airways - at the behest of those including Roger Ailes, who went on to found Fox "News" and become a serial sex predator, much like out current so-called president.
It takes a long time to undo a strong democracy, but the republicans have been both patient and persistent in doing this.
It takes a long time to undo a strong democracy, but the republicans have been both patient and persistent in doing this.
4
The obstructionist opposition role that the Republican party had learnt during the two terms of the Obama presidency has been so deeply internalised by the party that it has forgotten how to behave as the responsible ruling party when the opportunity arrives.
8
Paul, the Republicans could do a hell of a lot of good things in this country and for the whole world if they were not so racists.
But since their base of very racist alt-Right and other racist supporters are forcing them to the extreme right of Democracy, it seems like most of Republican members of congress are totally clueless as how to progress in a very modern and progressive and diverse country like ours where there are more people under 25 years of age than above.
Although Trump got most of his votes from the 20 somethings, but I'm convinced that our country's young and old will still accept a president who acts presidential.
So in a few days time Republican men and women, young and old, will find out through news on social media that they got taken by Trump and the Republicans.
Trump's one of the main promises was to tear up the Obamacare right on his 1st day in office.
Now the same promise is going to dog him for the rest of his rule when his core supporters will dig out the fact, something that we the liberals knew all along that Obamacare is going nowhere.
There are at least 30 to 40 millions of Trump supporters who're getting the help from Obamacare that they could never dream of.
So now for Trump, and his very crooked and also very racist Republican members of congress,who already passed 60+ non-binding legislation to dismantle A.C.A., its reality time when they can't even show their replacement plan because it looks nothing but the old plan.
Go figure !
But since their base of very racist alt-Right and other racist supporters are forcing them to the extreme right of Democracy, it seems like most of Republican members of congress are totally clueless as how to progress in a very modern and progressive and diverse country like ours where there are more people under 25 years of age than above.
Although Trump got most of his votes from the 20 somethings, but I'm convinced that our country's young and old will still accept a president who acts presidential.
So in a few days time Republican men and women, young and old, will find out through news on social media that they got taken by Trump and the Republicans.
Trump's one of the main promises was to tear up the Obamacare right on his 1st day in office.
Now the same promise is going to dog him for the rest of his rule when his core supporters will dig out the fact, something that we the liberals knew all along that Obamacare is going nowhere.
There are at least 30 to 40 millions of Trump supporters who're getting the help from Obamacare that they could never dream of.
So now for Trump, and his very crooked and also very racist Republican members of congress,who already passed 60+ non-binding legislation to dismantle A.C.A., its reality time when they can't even show their replacement plan because it looks nothing but the old plan.
Go figure !
1
This might seem wild and crazy, but the press must serve as Trump's PR machine in the near term. If Trump says or tweets that his ACA replacement will be revealed on Tuesday, make that quote a front page story.
Doing so would create a "Where's Waldo?" scenario in which a giddy countdown would ensue to the day and moment when, from the White House basement, the anointed legislation might emerge as a fully formed child rather than the inchoate zygote that it is.
Consider: If Trump stated that June 6, 1944 would be D-Day, you could figure that the invasion would take place some other day or, more likely, not at all.
World War II a la Trump: The Donald stands on the White cliffs of Dover and issues a series of tweets accusing Hitler of attacking him personally as the Axis shore up the beaches around Normandy.
Right now, his pronouncements are dismissed by the sane and avidly believed by those who so rue an unrecoverable past that they are willing to destroy the present in their quixotic quest.
Let's add another element: In the spirit of "What's In Al Capone's Safe?", Geraldo Rivera could host another of his highly-acclaimed forays, this time into the Escher world of the GOP where one can raise taxes by lowering taxes.
The show might be called, "What's In the GOP's Obamacare Replacement Plan?" Each week, Geraldo would remind FOX viewers that the show is still running because the mystery still hasn't been solved. Cue music.
Oh, as you might remember, Capone's safe was empty.
Doing so would create a "Where's Waldo?" scenario in which a giddy countdown would ensue to the day and moment when, from the White House basement, the anointed legislation might emerge as a fully formed child rather than the inchoate zygote that it is.
Consider: If Trump stated that June 6, 1944 would be D-Day, you could figure that the invasion would take place some other day or, more likely, not at all.
World War II a la Trump: The Donald stands on the White cliffs of Dover and issues a series of tweets accusing Hitler of attacking him personally as the Axis shore up the beaches around Normandy.
Right now, his pronouncements are dismissed by the sane and avidly believed by those who so rue an unrecoverable past that they are willing to destroy the present in their quixotic quest.
Let's add another element: In the spirit of "What's In Al Capone's Safe?", Geraldo Rivera could host another of his highly-acclaimed forays, this time into the Escher world of the GOP where one can raise taxes by lowering taxes.
The show might be called, "What's In the GOP's Obamacare Replacement Plan?" Each week, Geraldo would remind FOX viewers that the show is still running because the mystery still hasn't been solved. Cue music.
Oh, as you might remember, Capone's safe was empty.
1
In his typically smug and condescending fashion, Krugman attacks with innuendo and hyperbole, because he has no facts to back up his position.
"Does this mean that nothing substantive will happen on the policy front? Not necessarily. Republicans may decide to ram through a health plan that causes mass suffering, and hope to blame it on Mr. Obama. They may give up on anything resembling a principled tax reform, and just throw a few trillion dollars at rich people instead."
Or.
They may provide responsible and acceptable solutions, and Krugman, yet again, will be shown to be the partisan and petty fool.
Can we all agree to stop using the Republican term "Obamacare"? It's the Affordable Care Act. Linking it to Obama was a cynical GOP tactic for arousing political opposition, and Dems, including President Obama himself, made the mistake of thinking they could turn it on its head.
The fight we're having over healthcare is not about Obama. It's about Affordable Care!
The fight we're having over healthcare is not about Obama. It's about Affordable Care!
3
And, many think they are two separate programs.
1
The Republicans have never such an opportunity to implement their ideas, and are demonstrating the same competence usually associated with the Keystone Kops--without the humor. Despite Paul Ryan's Woody Woodpecker smile, he's been considered for years as the most serious of the GOP tax reformers, but seems unable to come up with anything coherent enough to even warrant debate, let alone genuine legislation.
Unfortunately, this isn't slapstick--it's deadly serious, and American public deserves better than this farcical opening act.
Unfortunately, this isn't slapstick--it's deadly serious, and American public deserves better than this farcical opening act.
2
The Republican party remains the party of freedom and wealth. At least the party is consistent. And what is wrong with ramming through, Pelosi style, healthcare reforms? Are "liberals" here saying they have a problem with that? Democrats have proven they can't govern during the last eight years, while chanting shallow moral authority and doing virtually nothing for the minorities they supposedly represent. So now the Republicans are going to take their turn at the wheel. Give them a chance to fail, just as the Democrats were given. I can't wait to hear the moralisticly superior sounding replies to my comments.
Ryan's border adjustment tax will destroy my partner's business, which she's built up after ten years of very hard work. None of the "benefits" will apply in her case.
Also, the Ryan plan to eliminate the Federal deduction for State and local taxes will hurt ud personally very badly, and everyone else in the middle in NY. No, we will not be receiving lower Federal rates, as the reported rate reductions skip over the middle like us. Only the super-rich get the bennies.
NY already sends more tax $ to DC than it gets back - we're already subsidizing the rest of the country.
What happened to the promise to repeal "carried interest", which is welfare to the super-rich hedge fund guys? Disappeared, didn't it?
If the BAT passes, or if the deduction for State and local taxes is lost, I hope every Trump fan loses his job.
Also, the Ryan plan to eliminate the Federal deduction for State and local taxes will hurt ud personally very badly, and everyone else in the middle in NY. No, we will not be receiving lower Federal rates, as the reported rate reductions skip over the middle like us. Only the super-rich get the bennies.
NY already sends more tax $ to DC than it gets back - we're already subsidizing the rest of the country.
What happened to the promise to repeal "carried interest", which is welfare to the super-rich hedge fund guys? Disappeared, didn't it?
If the BAT passes, or if the deduction for State and local taxes is lost, I hope every Trump fan loses his job.
3
Did you expect to be treated fairly?
With the Republicans now fully in charge, I feel like I am watching one of those old western movies I grew up on in the 1950s.
We have this corrupt, lawless gang of ranchers and real estate developers, who steal other people's land and cattle, exploit the local labor, and put clueless unethical lackeys in charge to run the town government. Elections are rigged (gerrymandering, voter ID, Citizens United); newspapers and townsfolk are insulted, intimidated and threatened if they challenge the Gang of Plutocrats (GOP) residing at the biggest ranches in the region.
As the standard plot goes, nothing happens until a strong and moral leader rides in on a white horse, organizes the befuddled and frightened townsfolk, and together they take on the bullying, corrupt, colluding Gang of Plutocrats and run them out of town, never to be seen again.
Given the speed with which the GOP is scrapping government regulations on finance, banking, clean air and water, health insurance, taxation, infrastructure, we better forget about that guy on the white horse organizing us, and do as much as each of us can to stop the GOP wrecking ball from killing everything that is/was good about this country.
Democracy does not come easily, but it looks like authoritarianism and fascism can sneak in quite easily and quickly. Hi Ho Silver!
We have this corrupt, lawless gang of ranchers and real estate developers, who steal other people's land and cattle, exploit the local labor, and put clueless unethical lackeys in charge to run the town government. Elections are rigged (gerrymandering, voter ID, Citizens United); newspapers and townsfolk are insulted, intimidated and threatened if they challenge the Gang of Plutocrats (GOP) residing at the biggest ranches in the region.
As the standard plot goes, nothing happens until a strong and moral leader rides in on a white horse, organizes the befuddled and frightened townsfolk, and together they take on the bullying, corrupt, colluding Gang of Plutocrats and run them out of town, never to be seen again.
Given the speed with which the GOP is scrapping government regulations on finance, banking, clean air and water, health insurance, taxation, infrastructure, we better forget about that guy on the white horse organizing us, and do as much as each of us can to stop the GOP wrecking ball from killing everything that is/was good about this country.
Democracy does not come easily, but it looks like authoritarianism and fascism can sneak in quite easily and quickly. Hi Ho Silver!
6
What we have now is also what happens when the supposedly business-friendly GOP refuse to vet a bent dictator with foreign ties to supporters of terrorism: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/13/donald-trumps-worst-deal Looks like the Trump era of the art of sleazy business deals is finally getting the scrutiny it deserves, since the criminal money-launderer in chief has never had to show his taxes or been subjected to any oversight by his flaccid peers.
4
The Republicans aren't going to govern. They are going to gut America. They've already started and those who put them in office are thrilled with the death of the EPA, the department of Education, healthcare, separation of church and state, voting rights, equality for all. White privilege is going to be the name of the game for as long as the GOP can make it happen.
6
But he's the best at being "the least qualified individual, temperamentally or intellectually, ever installed in the White House." He's so great at being the least qualified that no one has ever been better at being least qualified!
7
Of course they can't govern. Most of them are nothing but mean, spiteful ideologues who do not have any grasp of things in the real world. They certainly do not have any familiarity with the realities of day to day living the vast majority in this nation experience
6
My biggest fear is that the twin Balkanizations of information and voters through conservative media and gerrymandering will allow the crop of GOP politicians to simply pass 'something,' attach a slogan to it, declare victory, and ride the wave of misinformation and ignorance to re-election. Again.
5
As they say the devil is in the details. Trump never been a detail oriented or hands on type of CEO. Nor will he be as president. As we saw earlier he will sign anything put in front of him even if its 'half baked' from executive orders to legislation. That should scare Americans.
3
I was certain the ACA would have been repealed by the end of January. The tax cuts would have followed by mid February and the EPA would, for all intents and purposes, be rendered meaningless by March. And here we are, in our new Trumpian world - created by Americans who wanted to make America great again and take back their country - bobbing around some very rough seas in a dingy. And while our irrational, perhaps mentally ill, President attacks all who criticize him, those of us who are rational wonder what possible good could come from all this insanity. On the good side of the ledger, the Republican lack of action on legislation is music to my ears. They finally caught the car and now sucking on the tailpipe isn't so wonderful. Good.
4
Not having the ability to govern, the Republican Congress will have to revert to the only strategy that has consistently given them results, laying blame on the Democrats and Liberals.
4
It's helter skelter in Washington, but this is what millions of voters--and corporate lobbyists and billionaires and Wall Street--wanted. Not a majority of US voters who went to the polls in November, or even a majority of eligible US voters, but enough to give the White House to the unstable, pathologically lying person now holding the title of President AND the Congress to the do-nothing obstructionists led by Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan.
It's been a debacle barely two months in, but the media were thrilled by a TelePrompter-read speech last week, diehard Republican voters are satisfied with the chaos, and the rest of us, which includes most of the world outside of Russia and North Korea, just hope to avoid a total cataclysm. So let's let it play out as it will. Maybe the horrible money-obsessed DNC, Democratic and Independent voters, and even those few moderate Republicans out there that remain will vote to oust the incompetent GOP in 2018, and elect a Congress that will investigate the metastasizing corruption in this administration. That is, if we still have a democracy to speak of by then!
It's been a debacle barely two months in, but the media were thrilled by a TelePrompter-read speech last week, diehard Republican voters are satisfied with the chaos, and the rest of us, which includes most of the world outside of Russia and North Korea, just hope to avoid a total cataclysm. So let's let it play out as it will. Maybe the horrible money-obsessed DNC, Democratic and Independent voters, and even those few moderate Republicans out there that remain will vote to oust the incompetent GOP in 2018, and elect a Congress that will investigate the metastasizing corruption in this administration. That is, if we still have a democracy to speak of by then!
3
The early legislative actions of the Republican majority are doing damage to the common welfare of the American people. Guns, Environment, Education & Healthcare are early warnings.
Absence of vision for the long-term economic interests of the common welfare in three issues: (1) soaring inequality (this is having a negative impact on labor productivity), (2) global warming (the problem can only be solved through global implementation of innovation in energy technologies to replace fossil fuel combustion in electric power generation and transportation), (3) war and peace (killing rather than "soft power" has been a bad strategy for rooting out the causal factors for armed violence).
It is time because of the grave consequences of NOT acting on behalf of the common welfare for Democratic lawmakers to recruit political candidates for districts and states that Obama won during his elections but were narrowly lost in the last election.
It is deal making time, Republicans and President Trump are declining in popularity. The situation is urgent and Democrats must come together for the common welfare.
Democratic leadership should approach Republican lawmakers from Districts and Senate seats that have been weakened by the obvious governing ineptness of the Republicans to get their act together to serve the common welfare and persuade them to become "independents" and join the Democratic Caucus in the Senate and therefore create a new majority in the Senate, A.S.A.P.
Absence of vision for the long-term economic interests of the common welfare in three issues: (1) soaring inequality (this is having a negative impact on labor productivity), (2) global warming (the problem can only be solved through global implementation of innovation in energy technologies to replace fossil fuel combustion in electric power generation and transportation), (3) war and peace (killing rather than "soft power" has been a bad strategy for rooting out the causal factors for armed violence).
It is time because of the grave consequences of NOT acting on behalf of the common welfare for Democratic lawmakers to recruit political candidates for districts and states that Obama won during his elections but were narrowly lost in the last election.
It is deal making time, Republicans and President Trump are declining in popularity. The situation is urgent and Democrats must come together for the common welfare.
Democratic leadership should approach Republican lawmakers from Districts and Senate seats that have been weakened by the obvious governing ineptness of the Republicans to get their act together to serve the common welfare and persuade them to become "independents" and join the Democratic Caucus in the Senate and therefore create a new majority in the Senate, A.S.A.P.
1
The Republican Party is not ready to govern because they exist only to destroy.
Whether you place their embrace of nihilism at Reagan's election in 1980, or Gingrich's takeover in the 1990's, the economic meltdown under Bush, or the Tea Party (Koch Brothers) insurgency, the goal of the Republican party, for decades, has been to overload, break, and dismantle the workings of our government from within.
Grover Norquist said the goal was to "shrink the government until it could be drowned in a bathtub" and every Republican of stature has treated that as their lodestar.
Republican economic policies gut the middle class and the poor for the benefit of the wealthiest. Their budget priorities trash the economy, while pouring billions into corporate subsidies, Wall Street shell games, and an already bloated military, while skimping out on physical infrastructure, technological infrastructure, and education.
And Republican healthcare policies are the ultimate "Death Panel" - if you have the money to pay for treatment out of pocket, great. If not, you can die in the street for all they care. After all, the wealthiest among us can easily afford out of pocket treatment, and in GOP America, they are the only ones that matter.
If the GOP can't actively destroy, they'll drag their feet and let inertia do it for them. The Republican party is the greatest internal danger to our nation. Quite simply- Democrats make our nation better, Republicans ruin it.
Whether you place their embrace of nihilism at Reagan's election in 1980, or Gingrich's takeover in the 1990's, the economic meltdown under Bush, or the Tea Party (Koch Brothers) insurgency, the goal of the Republican party, for decades, has been to overload, break, and dismantle the workings of our government from within.
Grover Norquist said the goal was to "shrink the government until it could be drowned in a bathtub" and every Republican of stature has treated that as their lodestar.
Republican economic policies gut the middle class and the poor for the benefit of the wealthiest. Their budget priorities trash the economy, while pouring billions into corporate subsidies, Wall Street shell games, and an already bloated military, while skimping out on physical infrastructure, technological infrastructure, and education.
And Republican healthcare policies are the ultimate "Death Panel" - if you have the money to pay for treatment out of pocket, great. If not, you can die in the street for all they care. After all, the wealthiest among us can easily afford out of pocket treatment, and in GOP America, they are the only ones that matter.
If the GOP can't actively destroy, they'll drag their feet and let inertia do it for them. The Republican party is the greatest internal danger to our nation. Quite simply- Democrats make our nation better, Republicans ruin it.
3
A fact-free, anti-science party can't come up with good legislation? Now there's a surprise. The entire Republican economic platform is based on voodoo, from tax cuts that don't pay for themselves, to phantom causes of the financial crash, to fears of imminent debt crises that keep not happening.
3
This whole response to the destruction of the ACA is nothing, that's nothing compared to what will happen when they begin to eliminate Social Security (our money) and Medicare (also our money). Between my employers and I since I was 16, I have paid into those two insurance programs over $200,000. That's more than 1/5 of a million dollars, mostly used to support Bush's two wars. That's right it was stolen from our money.
Now, if we had a Democratic Party in the Senate and House with any grit, they would be yelling this on TV, social media, newspapers, everywhere, but as usual they sit on their hands. So, who is more to blame? The anti-American (except the 1%) Republicans or Democrats who don't vote and sit on their hands as America goes down the tubes?
Now, if we had a Democratic Party in the Senate and House with any grit, they would be yelling this on TV, social media, newspapers, everywhere, but as usual they sit on their hands. So, who is more to blame? The anti-American (except the 1%) Republicans or Democrats who don't vote and sit on their hands as America goes down the tubes?
5
The problem in both arenas, health care and tax reform, are similar in that both involve faulty basic starting points.
Republicans have never supported universal health care. Their starting point is that it is "socialistic", it costs too much, and, if forced down their throats, should be "market driven" (as in "let them eat cake"). With this sort of mindset, one can't get to universal health care.
As regards tax reform, the starting point is simpler. Never, under no circumstance, raise taxes (e.g. Norquist), and whenever possible cut taxes especially for the wealthy. Needless to say, these premises do not lead to tax reform that is meaningful to most Americans (no, it doesn't "trickle down").
In short, bad or self-serving premises are not likely to end up in favorable policy. Hence, current Republicans can't achieve either universal health care or truly meaningful tax reform. So, I suppose, they'll attempt to fake it.
Republicans have never supported universal health care. Their starting point is that it is "socialistic", it costs too much, and, if forced down their throats, should be "market driven" (as in "let them eat cake"). With this sort of mindset, one can't get to universal health care.
As regards tax reform, the starting point is simpler. Never, under no circumstance, raise taxes (e.g. Norquist), and whenever possible cut taxes especially for the wealthy. Needless to say, these premises do not lead to tax reform that is meaningful to most Americans (no, it doesn't "trickle down").
In short, bad or self-serving premises are not likely to end up in favorable policy. Hence, current Republicans can't achieve either universal health care or truly meaningful tax reform. So, I suppose, they'll attempt to fake it.
6
When the sole purpose of any political party is simply to confiscate and consolidate control of the governing apparatus, often little thought is given to what comes next after achieving these goals.
Such is the case of the G.O.P.
They have become the proverbial dog that has caught the car, and now doesn't know what to do with it.
Of course, appointing an official at the top who doesn't have the least idea of what he's doing doesn't help.
Nor does alienating over one half of the American electorate to appease the other, or proving to be utterly insufficient and unable to police oneself when it comes to major missteps that could have easily been avoided.
It's no great secret that Republicans have plotted to be in this position for years, but now that they have a strangle hold on the Congress, the presidency, and in all eventuality, the Supreme Court, they seem to be less interested in keeping the country alive than suspending it in a comatose state, so that they might continue to rule over it -- and if successful in repealing every facit of the Affordable Care Act, there's no guarantee that they'll be able to keep the country on life-support, let alone save it.
Such is the case of the G.O.P.
They have become the proverbial dog that has caught the car, and now doesn't know what to do with it.
Of course, appointing an official at the top who doesn't have the least idea of what he's doing doesn't help.
Nor does alienating over one half of the American electorate to appease the other, or proving to be utterly insufficient and unable to police oneself when it comes to major missteps that could have easily been avoided.
It's no great secret that Republicans have plotted to be in this position for years, but now that they have a strangle hold on the Congress, the presidency, and in all eventuality, the Supreme Court, they seem to be less interested in keeping the country alive than suspending it in a comatose state, so that they might continue to rule over it -- and if successful in repealing every facit of the Affordable Care Act, there's no guarantee that they'll be able to keep the country on life-support, let alone save it.
7
I'm increasingly beginning to believe Donald Trump's antics are welcomed by Congress. He's taking the spotlight off an ineffective legislature. Republicans never resolved the rift between the Tea Party and Reagan conservatives. Now they have a populist something or other to deal with as well. Power was sought as both the means and the end.
Unfortunately for everyone, this is what happens when you substitute winning elections for philosophy and principle. Republicans have gerrymandered their party into a corner where they're only fighting themselves. The fear in most Republicans is the primary challenge. As a result, you have a three-way split that can only agree on controlling power and opposing Democrats.
That's not a governing strategy. That's a Charlie Foxtrot. It shows.
Unfortunately for everyone, this is what happens when you substitute winning elections for philosophy and principle. Republicans have gerrymandered their party into a corner where they're only fighting themselves. The fear in most Republicans is the primary challenge. As a result, you have a three-way split that can only agree on controlling power and opposing Democrats.
That's not a governing strategy. That's a Charlie Foxtrot. It shows.
6
This article drastically oversimplifies what it takes to reform this laws. Either Krugman doesn't understand how the ACA was designed to be difficult to repeal (at the risk of using a drastic metaphor it is similar to the same way a bomb is designed not to be easy to defuse) or he counting on the readers not knowing this and thus believing what is basically a partisan hit piece (his latest of many). I'll agree that Trump is woefully unprepared but to say that the party as whole is not ready is just inaccurate. If it were McCain, Romney or Kasich or at the helm things would be going much more smoothly. The problem is with Trump not the party. There's a reason most of the major republicans were against Trump. Even they knew he wasn't ready. In addition to his inexperience, Trump's ideology regarding how Government should operate is not consistent with the small government model of most republicans. Obama was able to compensate for being inexperienced by being party line democrat for the first few years. Trump isn't a party line republican so there is inconsistency between him and the rest of the party.
TL;DR: it's Trump's fault. Not the fault of all republicans. Call it fair and don't try and pretend Trump is representative of republicans as a whole.
TL;DR: it's Trump's fault. Not the fault of all republicans. Call it fair and don't try and pretend Trump is representative of republicans as a whole.
No? Who then voted for the guy in the golden tower, who only worships the deal? Where's the thoughtfulness, the compassion, the moral compass, the humanity, the wisdom? The republican party is free to work alongside and with the democrats to get any number of good ideas into law, including immigration.
3
Difficult to repeal? Of course - 20 million now have health care. Why is that bad?
1
Been saying this since Reagan the rat: The republicans are unable to engage in the tiniest bit of introspection. They are done. And so are the weak opposition.
1
When the the stance of the party is to reserve the wealth and power of its members, and to not be taxed-- especially because the tax money might go to people they disdain, such as the descendants of the slaves that their own ancestors may have owned, and when the party tries to explain to the younger members of its party, and to non-party members that it's stance is based on Judeo-Christian teaching and the beliefs and intentions of the Founding Fathers, that party is based on a lie. It's hard to keep the lie going.
9
So has there been any new polls out that indicate how the trump and republican voter feels now, post election. I'm wondering how these folks are going to react once the full truth sinks in on how affected their lives and those of their children and grandchildren will suffer under the haunting absence of any expected positive change?
The 2018 midterms are already here as the party of no ideas and their buffooning leader have only managed to terrorize anyone, from anywhere, about leaving the US and then trying to return back home. I'm not referring to the "seven" countries on ICE's list of the forbidden. It seems that anyone wanting to travel, even naturalized citizens are terrified that they will be denied re-entry. This is not about Muslim nations, but from all other countries. Foreign tourists are concerned about visiting due to the possibility of being considered to be a threat. These decisions are being made in the airports with no real guidelines: just on the spot.
Even though the trump's executive order has been suspended, the fear of terrorism overrides any legal procedures. The average person on either side of the border are very afraid and likely to react poorly to each other. This is what leaderless and angry bellowing does to the populace: panic. Normalcy? Those days are gone.
The 2018 midterms are already here as the party of no ideas and their buffooning leader have only managed to terrorize anyone, from anywhere, about leaving the US and then trying to return back home. I'm not referring to the "seven" countries on ICE's list of the forbidden. It seems that anyone wanting to travel, even naturalized citizens are terrified that they will be denied re-entry. This is not about Muslim nations, but from all other countries. Foreign tourists are concerned about visiting due to the possibility of being considered to be a threat. These decisions are being made in the airports with no real guidelines: just on the spot.
Even though the trump's executive order has been suspended, the fear of terrorism overrides any legal procedures. The average person on either side of the border are very afraid and likely to react poorly to each other. This is what leaderless and angry bellowing does to the populace: panic. Normalcy? Those days are gone.
9
I never understood the media fawning over Paul Ryan and calling him an intellectual.
He is no better than Trump, albeit with a slightly better vocabulary than Trump.
The one good thing to come out of this ship of fools is that the media seems to have rediscovered journalism. Now there is actual thought going into political coverage.
Of course old habits die hard -- see last weeks' fawning coverage of Trump's teleprompter speech.
And, of course, look at the coverage at Fox, which I look at once a day just to see what the Murdoch propaganda machine is up to. They are truly Orwellian in their coverage.
The other positive thing to come out of this entire mess is that, just like in the SNL skit this last Saturday where a courageous leader of the Republican Party was TBD, there isn't one Republican willing to stand up to Trump. It really has revealed what a group of spineless cowards they are. What are they so afraid of? For the past 8 years I keep thinking that it was their unbridled hatred of Obama that motivated them.
Maybe Republicans really don't believe in anything except for wealth for the 1%.
He is no better than Trump, albeit with a slightly better vocabulary than Trump.
The one good thing to come out of this ship of fools is that the media seems to have rediscovered journalism. Now there is actual thought going into political coverage.
Of course old habits die hard -- see last weeks' fawning coverage of Trump's teleprompter speech.
And, of course, look at the coverage at Fox, which I look at once a day just to see what the Murdoch propaganda machine is up to. They are truly Orwellian in their coverage.
The other positive thing to come out of this entire mess is that, just like in the SNL skit this last Saturday where a courageous leader of the Republican Party was TBD, there isn't one Republican willing to stand up to Trump. It really has revealed what a group of spineless cowards they are. What are they so afraid of? For the past 8 years I keep thinking that it was their unbridled hatred of Obama that motivated them.
Maybe Republicans really don't believe in anything except for wealth for the 1%.
18
Republicans have gotten away with this in large part because in covering elections political reporters focus on the game, not the policy.
25
Here's the GOP playbook for dealing with serious policy challenges. A) Ignore the problem and hope the "free market" eventually finds a solution. Or B) Largely ignoring experience and facts on the ground, attempt to impose an ideologically-driven solution that usually makes the problem even worse. Right now, regarding Trump's apparent mental instability, Republicans are still trying to look the other way, praying that, magically, the issue will resolve itself. Typical.
14
Great points. And then there's a Rasputin I mean Bannon, who is--as far as I can tell--trying to destroy the government from within. If that is true, he is probably Trump's most effective employee
9
What madness has befallen us? He is obviously mad. The question remains: was he insane before we elected him, or did the office of the President drive him nuts? In any case, he grows more dangerous with each passing day. Now he is accusing Obama of a serious felony. I wonder if his stooge Attorney General hadn't lied to congress, and as a result recused himself, would the nutcase have gone off ranting? Every failure is the result of someone else, not Trump! He even makes the thought of someone like Rubio as President seem normal. There must be a mechanism by which we can get him some help!
9
One good thing could come out of all this. The public might finally pay attention to what actually goes on in Washington, beneath the bumper sticker level.
If our elected government enacts the current proposals into law, pandemonium will follow. A general strike perhaps.
If our elected government enacts the current proposals into law, pandemonium will follow. A general strike perhaps.
10
Governing by misrule, an ever present danger during Trump's reign, has become reality. The only real thing in a snake's nest filled with lies, innuendos and insults, and, just now, a most poisonous conspiratorial theory, that Obama tapped Trump's conversations (already denied by F.B.I.'s Comey). Trump's vain attempt to distract us from the problem at hand, Russia's tampering in U.S.'s elections to favor him, is a treacherous and swampy terrain to indulge in...as he is digging the very hole indicting himself for malfeasance. One more point: whenever incompetence shows its ugly face, corruption soon follows. Look at the republican-dominated congress, inept in its attempt to thrash Obamacare for something better (i.e. better coverage for quality healthcare insurance and at a lower cost), inept in revealing their fiasco by postponement. And we haven't even touched on the urgency to tackle tax reform (meaning, for the G.O.P., tax relief for the 'rich and powerful'). What a mess!
11
Mr. Krugman accurately points out the GOP failings based on ideology trumping reality. However during this sorry era of polarity that disdains reason he completely ignores the fact that the Progressive ideology has lost political support at every level of government. Whatever one wants to label the affective ideology of the American body politic, it is not in harmony with either party. The continuing finger pointing that projects the nations failings on the opposition party may satisfy the need for a scapegoat but it does not offer a path out of this nightmare of the “gotcha” game.
Those of us who appreciate Mr. Krugman’s advocacy of the government’s role to stimulate the economy during a recession also need to understand why a significant number of people detest the same government that theoretically is trying to help them. It is this failure on both sides to come to an agreement on the purpose of our institutions that endangers our unity.
Those of us who appreciate Mr. Krugman’s advocacy of the government’s role to stimulate the economy during a recession also need to understand why a significant number of people detest the same government that theoretically is trying to help them. It is this failure on both sides to come to an agreement on the purpose of our institutions that endangers our unity.
3
Progressive ideology is just that, and hasn't massively permeated our governance despite the ranting of right wing media (otherwise we would have single payer health care).
That's just a red herring designed to create more fear among those already inclined to it.
That's just a red herring designed to create more fear among those already inclined to it.
2
The military's Joint Chiefs of Staff are going to face a terrible problem very soon. It appears that our President is unstable. The Joint Chiefs are going to have to decide at what point they remove Nuclear Command Authority from the President. This has been done before, certainly when President Regan was shot, Command Authority passed to the Vice President while he was in surgery and recovery. I am not sure that Command Authority has ever been removed for mental instability before, but if we are not there now, we are getting very close.
Politically, Washington maybe able to put up with the circus of an unstable President and the press certainly loves it, but the military does not dare leave this power in the hands of an unstable person.
Politically, Washington maybe able to put up with the circus of an unstable President and the press certainly loves it, but the military does not dare leave this power in the hands of an unstable person.
19
Julie Clark, a Republican health care worker of 30 years has written an enlightening article, pointing out 10 ways to improve and deal with solutions of AHA or Obamacare. It is a remarkable piece of work, analytical and not emotional, and comes from someone with "hands on" experience in hospitals and dealing with health care and insurance issues. It is an article that focuses on solutions not the typical down-beating rhetoric. Take a look, we were impressed enough to publish it in BootheGlobalPerspectives.
Ben Boothe
Publisher
Ben Boothe
Publisher
3
If these bozos weren't in charge of millions of lives, this statement would be rip- roaring hilariously. In the present circumstances, it is frightening.
"But Mr. Ryan has failed spectacularly to make his case either to colleagues or to powerful interest groups. Why? As best I can tell, it’s because he himself doesn’t understand the point of the reform."
"But Mr. Ryan has failed spectacularly to make his case either to colleagues or to powerful interest groups. Why? As best I can tell, it’s because he himself doesn’t understand the point of the reform."
7
I read, with no small alarm, what Trump and the GOP are trying to do while we're reading about Russian connections. Every one of the regulations they are rolling back or refusing to let take effect will hurt the public in one way or another. Allowing auto companies not to increase the mileage per gallon because it's too much work means less fuel efficient cars and more pollution. Refusing to stop internet service providers from letting some sites/companies come up more quickly in favor of others undermines net neutrality. Telling companies who have our social security numbers or internet companies that they are not responsible for protecting that information leaves us open to having our identities stolen more easily.
In other words, there is nothing that the GOP and Trump think is more important than making it easier for businesses to hurt us no matter what the cost is to us of that hurt. Other regulation roll backs include the environment, banking, and health: all things that are meant to protect us from big business overreach or injury. The common thread in all of this is the GOPs philosophy that them that has it (wealth) need more of it while the rest of us can drop dead. It's not a recipe for a functioning democracy. So, when Tweedledum and Tweedledumber stand there nodding in unison at whatever Trump says, don't think it's the result of having thought things through to a process that will benefit most Americans. They aren't most Americans and they don't care.
In other words, there is nothing that the GOP and Trump think is more important than making it easier for businesses to hurt us no matter what the cost is to us of that hurt. Other regulation roll backs include the environment, banking, and health: all things that are meant to protect us from big business overreach or injury. The common thread in all of this is the GOPs philosophy that them that has it (wealth) need more of it while the rest of us can drop dead. It's not a recipe for a functioning democracy. So, when Tweedledum and Tweedledumber stand there nodding in unison at whatever Trump says, don't think it's the result of having thought things through to a process that will benefit most Americans. They aren't most Americans and they don't care.
15
The GOP cannot govern because their platform is destruction of the state.
Tax breaks for the wealthy, the elimination of the government watchdogs, and deregulation is not a policy...it is an ideology to destroy the state.
There is no money left to fund education, infrastructure, healthcare or public safety. We are all in Kansas now.
Tax breaks for the wealthy, the elimination of the government watchdogs, and deregulation is not a policy...it is an ideology to destroy the state.
There is no money left to fund education, infrastructure, healthcare or public safety. We are all in Kansas now.
23
If the Empire (Republican Party) is in such a disarray, then we should have been able to oust most from each state. Yet we can't. The rules were made by them in each state to remove someone from office. They set us up. They have an agenda, money. It is all about money. As they make it, how many of us will be injured by their "executive orders"? Fear is at the root of all these orders. Reminds me of skittish cattle, lightening strikes and they run one way, strikes again and they run away from that. Soon they will run out of control and give up. Psyche games is what they are playing. Humans can withstand so much then they give up. News flash: the Empire does not understand Americans. We are the only culture on the planet that instead of giving up, we turn around and fight. This is why we have such a bad reputation in the world. We will not give up. This time it will be to our advantage.
5
Trump's Presidency is swirling around the drain. Any party would be in serious trouble if it had Trump as its president, but the Republicans are in far worse trouble, due to their own divisions and delusional thinking.
Their "repeal Obamacare" appears on track for the obvious consequence of trying to redeem 7 years of angry nonsense braggadocio, and unwillingness to deal with 1 + 1 = 2. The Republicans forgot what the seniors did to Dan Rostenkowski, and now it is happening to them.
The bigger crisis is coming however -- there will be no escaping the investigations of the Russian interference in our election -- who in the Trump campaign knew and did what ... starting with just what were Trump, Sessions et al talking to the Russians about ... and going from there?
And then Trump's taxes, business ties, the emoluments clause ... it's not going away now. Nor are Trump's evident mental problems and unfitness to lead.
the GOP has become a multitude of King Lears.
Their "repeal Obamacare" appears on track for the obvious consequence of trying to redeem 7 years of angry nonsense braggadocio, and unwillingness to deal with 1 + 1 = 2. The Republicans forgot what the seniors did to Dan Rostenkowski, and now it is happening to them.
The bigger crisis is coming however -- there will be no escaping the investigations of the Russian interference in our election -- who in the Trump campaign knew and did what ... starting with just what were Trump, Sessions et al talking to the Russians about ... and going from there?
And then Trump's taxes, business ties, the emoluments clause ... it's not going away now. Nor are Trump's evident mental problems and unfitness to lead.
the GOP has become a multitude of King Lears.
8
Republicans have always stated government is oppressive and bad because of taxes and regulation.
These statements have harmed the national spirit Trump spoke about in his speech that is based on common good of and for the people. In creating a higher civilization.
Common good is based on economy of scale and inequality, particularly the wealthy and business carrying a greater burden of taxation
Through the current attacks on progressive taxation and regulations that provide for that common good, we are experiencing the decline of our civilization.
These statements have harmed the national spirit Trump spoke about in his speech that is based on common good of and for the people. In creating a higher civilization.
Common good is based on economy of scale and inequality, particularly the wealthy and business carrying a greater burden of taxation
Through the current attacks on progressive taxation and regulations that provide for that common good, we are experiencing the decline of our civilization.
8
As usual Mr. Krugman makes good points. However, while a destination-based cash flow tax may not be bad in principle, it would be a huge gamble to assume that Congress would get a complex, theoretical, and radically new, framework right (seriously?). As Mr. Krugman says: "(Mr. Ryan) himself (probably) doesn't understand the point of the reform".
Half baked reform efforts risk leading towards the already discredited "trickle down economics", causing severe damage to the economy.
And health care--even Mr. Trump now understands that it is "complicated". The best we can hope is to minimize the effects that any Republican "reform" will have on very real people.
We must not lose sight of the fact that the election pointed to a very real problem. Globalization has been of tremendous net benefit to the US (and the rest of the world). But it does come with negative implications also -- there will be losers as well as winners. The solution is government action to compensate for the negative impact through retraining, education, and regional development programs. In a Republican dominated Congress, there is no hope for that. But the Democrats have been remiss in not paying sufficient attention to the problem. This is an area that must be given focus in the next election,
BRING OUT THE VOTE
Half baked reform efforts risk leading towards the already discredited "trickle down economics", causing severe damage to the economy.
And health care--even Mr. Trump now understands that it is "complicated". The best we can hope is to minimize the effects that any Republican "reform" will have on very real people.
We must not lose sight of the fact that the election pointed to a very real problem. Globalization has been of tremendous net benefit to the US (and the rest of the world). But it does come with negative implications also -- there will be losers as well as winners. The solution is government action to compensate for the negative impact through retraining, education, and regional development programs. In a Republican dominated Congress, there is no hope for that. But the Democrats have been remiss in not paying sufficient attention to the problem. This is an area that must be given focus in the next election,
BRING OUT THE VOTE
7
Sadly, "not ready to govern" is exactly what the 1%ers, big bankers, big corporate, big polluters, Christian Crusaders, white supremacists, and downward mobile bitter rural folks want. They hate government, and all cheered for "drowning it in the bathtub,"
And how better to scrap the Enlightenment and democratic government than by replacing it with corporatocracy--"a society or system that is governed or controlled by corporations."
For 40 years, the Republicans have been the party of wealthy investors and corporations, and the GOP has worked diligently to make the business of government business. Business is good; government is bad is the GOP mantra.
How many of our taxpayer dollars are now transferred to the private sector--military contractors, outsourcing what were once government jobs, private health insurance, and now education, even highways and roads, and next water? Privatize what is public.
So, if you want a job, to live in a Christian state, and not to have any rules of the road libertarian style, vote GOP--and nearly half the voters did.
The problem is all these people are infatuated with business and are not ready for democracy, so how do we deal with that?
And how better to scrap the Enlightenment and democratic government than by replacing it with corporatocracy--"a society or system that is governed or controlled by corporations."
For 40 years, the Republicans have been the party of wealthy investors and corporations, and the GOP has worked diligently to make the business of government business. Business is good; government is bad is the GOP mantra.
How many of our taxpayer dollars are now transferred to the private sector--military contractors, outsourcing what were once government jobs, private health insurance, and now education, even highways and roads, and next water? Privatize what is public.
So, if you want a job, to live in a Christian state, and not to have any rules of the road libertarian style, vote GOP--and nearly half the voters did.
The problem is all these people are infatuated with business and are not ready for democracy, so how do we deal with that?
9
There was never an impetus for the GOP to understand how the government works because Grover Norquist taught them it must all be dismantled, except for an ultra-strong military.
As a college teacher I would say the same tendency leads to the strong "academic bias" to liberal, Democratic-leaning faculty: to be a professor one has to have thought about things very deeply, and be concerned with getting at the truth of things. This is not a Republican strong suit.
As a college teacher I would say the same tendency leads to the strong "academic bias" to liberal, Democratic-leaning faculty: to be a professor one has to have thought about things very deeply, and be concerned with getting at the truth of things. This is not a Republican strong suit.
7
Their great at blocking legislation. Great at gerrymandering. Great at pandering to groups on social issues. Great at raising money from corporate interests. Great at deregulating Financial regulations so greedy entities can make large profits at the expense of the US and World economy. Great at widening the gap between the wealthy and the working people. Great at polarizing the electorate.
11
Paul has made the common but invalid assumption that the Ryan-McConnell corporate minions actually want to govern. That is inaccurate. Rather, the GOP Congress is only an ad agency, and their task as they see it, is to come up with an ad campaign that makes their masters' dismantling of government look good. LOOK good.
The creation of a facade that makes "lower taxes, less regulation, fewer benefits" seem like a positive move forward has been the job of the GOP led Congress for years, but as Paul says, now it's not rhetoric. The Ryan-McConnell-Pence machine can implement it. Koch bros and other GOP donors expect it.
Among other things they have to invent an ad campaign that makes drinking dirty water (from dumping industrial waste) a blessing, and makes waiting hours in an emergency room for medical attention (that preventative insurance would have avoided) a holiday from fruitlessly looking for work.
The creation of a facade that makes "lower taxes, less regulation, fewer benefits" seem like a positive move forward has been the job of the GOP led Congress for years, but as Paul says, now it's not rhetoric. The Ryan-McConnell-Pence machine can implement it. Koch bros and other GOP donors expect it.
Among other things they have to invent an ad campaign that makes drinking dirty water (from dumping industrial waste) a blessing, and makes waiting hours in an emergency room for medical attention (that preventative insurance would have avoided) a holiday from fruitlessly looking for work.
12
Electing people from a party which despises government to be The Government is on its face senseless. Elected Republicans like to hold hearings, take trips, wag fingers at government employees and shout down ideas that benefit healthy communities. Are they willing to do the hard work of actually governing such as considering the needs of all stakeholders before issuing the regulations designed only to keep their party in power? Not so much.
It has been a puzzle to me for many years that the fearless executives of US businesses spend so much time and money removing regulations which protect the public from dangerous products, protect the planet's clean air, water and soil for the future of their children and give as little tax money as possible to the country that protects their freedom. If US businesses and so-called businessmen are so superior to the rest of the world, why do they need so much help to perform well? Why do they whine about help to be globally "competitive"?
Why do business executives support employer-based health care that detracts from their focus on their core business? Why do the ultra-wealthy donate to politicians to support specialized tax-breaks (which require specialized accountants and lawyers) that affect only them when a simple tax system might cost them more in taxes, but less in total money and time?
The GOP is full of people whose thinking fits on a bumper sticker, but can't be the basis for a government of the people.
It has been a puzzle to me for many years that the fearless executives of US businesses spend so much time and money removing regulations which protect the public from dangerous products, protect the planet's clean air, water and soil for the future of their children and give as little tax money as possible to the country that protects their freedom. If US businesses and so-called businessmen are so superior to the rest of the world, why do they need so much help to perform well? Why do they whine about help to be globally "competitive"?
Why do business executives support employer-based health care that detracts from their focus on their core business? Why do the ultra-wealthy donate to politicians to support specialized tax-breaks (which require specialized accountants and lawyers) that affect only them when a simple tax system might cost them more in taxes, but less in total money and time?
The GOP is full of people whose thinking fits on a bumper sticker, but can't be the basis for a government of the people.
23
The markets reacted far too quickly to the idea of fiscal stimulus, lower taxes and lower regulation out of Washington without considering the probability of achieving anything legislatively occurring under the cloud of this election.
The last time a President slunk into office through the Electoral College backdoor while losing the popular vote by such a large margin was in 1876, Rutherford B Hayes.
He lost the popular vote by 3% and was a one-term President labeled "His Fraudulency."
Trump lost the popular vote by 2%, but he only won the Electoral College with the assistance of the Kremlin.
His surrogates met with the Russians while Trump espoused pro-Russian positions like failing to defend NATO and ending Russian economic sanctions.
In return, the Kremlin hacked the DNC and Clinton Campaign Manager Podesta while planting outrageous disinformation such as Clinton was kidnapping and trafficking children at a Washington DC Pizza parlor.
It was enough to give Trump the slim 100,000 votes he needed in key battleground states.
The corporate tax plan has some merit in that it would reduce large disparities in effective tax rates between corporate sectors.
The personal tax plan favors the wealthy in general, and Trump and his billionaire cabinet in particular, by repealing the estate tax $10.9 million exemption, amongst other things.
But it becomes doubtful with every passing tweet that anything of substance will come out of a Trump presidency.
The last time a President slunk into office through the Electoral College backdoor while losing the popular vote by such a large margin was in 1876, Rutherford B Hayes.
He lost the popular vote by 3% and was a one-term President labeled "His Fraudulency."
Trump lost the popular vote by 2%, but he only won the Electoral College with the assistance of the Kremlin.
His surrogates met with the Russians while Trump espoused pro-Russian positions like failing to defend NATO and ending Russian economic sanctions.
In return, the Kremlin hacked the DNC and Clinton Campaign Manager Podesta while planting outrageous disinformation such as Clinton was kidnapping and trafficking children at a Washington DC Pizza parlor.
It was enough to give Trump the slim 100,000 votes he needed in key battleground states.
The corporate tax plan has some merit in that it would reduce large disparities in effective tax rates between corporate sectors.
The personal tax plan favors the wealthy in general, and Trump and his billionaire cabinet in particular, by repealing the estate tax $10.9 million exemption, amongst other things.
But it becomes doubtful with every passing tweet that anything of substance will come out of a Trump presidency.
8
The last presidential candidate that won the popular vote but lost the election was Al Gore, after Bill Clinton served his 2 terms. The margin is irrelevant as far as the win goes.
Mindless partisanship got us here, with politicians finding they could be more easily elected by keeping it simple, like bumper sticker length slogans, rather than going through the hard work of telling us what we needed to hear and actual governing. Not governing and blaming the other party was the preferred method for being re-elected, stoking fear and anger rather than any tangible accomplishment.
Don’t forget the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed on partisan lines. Now we can point to silly people who tried to repeal the ACA over fifty times when Pres. Obama was there to veto it, but now that they have a president who’ll instantly sign it, how could they know it was “so complicated”? Still, partisanship has swung the other way and this is where we are.
Many are concerned American democracy will fade with Trump, but stepping back provides a much better view. The Founders envisioned a country where different perspectives worked together and provided each other with checks and balances to keep us all grounded. "My way or the highway" is the antithesis of an American democracy.
There was a much higher approval rating of Congress investigating Watergate than with Trump being investigated for [insert Tweet here], because our institutions are failing. With a single party controlling all branches of government an American democracy cannot exist. Until politicians start working together again, the pendulum will swing violently back again and we’ll start this mess all over.
Don’t forget the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed on partisan lines. Now we can point to silly people who tried to repeal the ACA over fifty times when Pres. Obama was there to veto it, but now that they have a president who’ll instantly sign it, how could they know it was “so complicated”? Still, partisanship has swung the other way and this is where we are.
Many are concerned American democracy will fade with Trump, but stepping back provides a much better view. The Founders envisioned a country where different perspectives worked together and provided each other with checks and balances to keep us all grounded. "My way or the highway" is the antithesis of an American democracy.
There was a much higher approval rating of Congress investigating Watergate than with Trump being investigated for [insert Tweet here], because our institutions are failing. With a single party controlling all branches of government an American democracy cannot exist. Until politicians start working together again, the pendulum will swing violently back again and we’ll start this mess all over.
6
It's not a question of partisanship and working together. Republicans are preparing their 3rd major tax cut in three decay, and propose to privatize everything but the military, including Medicare and social security. Do you suppose that's only because they dislike Democrats? M
Congress is divided between organized money and organized people. Money is winning at the moment, in part be a use it's convinced some people that it doesn't exist, or is on their side.
Congress is divided between organized money and organized people. Money is winning at the moment, in part be a use it's convinced some people that it doesn't exist, or is on their side.
1
The reason Republicans don’t have a plan to replace Obama-care is because Obama-care was the Republican plan.
It was Romney-care based on ideas from the Heritage Foundation.
The exchanges were the free market competition.
And the individual mandate was responsibility and accountability.
When Obama agreed to their approach, it became government takeover of health care and Death Panels.
But the real problem nobody is talking about is why we pay twice per capita what countries like Denmark and Germany pay and don’t even get universal health care.
And there are segments of our country where infant mortality is the same as Botswana.
If we paid what those countries paid, we could have universal coverage and still have money left over for everyone to have two years of post-high school education.
Hopefully, a state will enact single payer which will help but will still be a long way from reducing the cost to that of those other countries.
It was Romney-care based on ideas from the Heritage Foundation.
The exchanges were the free market competition.
And the individual mandate was responsibility and accountability.
When Obama agreed to their approach, it became government takeover of health care and Death Panels.
But the real problem nobody is talking about is why we pay twice per capita what countries like Denmark and Germany pay and don’t even get universal health care.
And there are segments of our country where infant mortality is the same as Botswana.
If we paid what those countries paid, we could have universal coverage and still have money left over for everyone to have two years of post-high school education.
Hopefully, a state will enact single payer which will help but will still be a long way from reducing the cost to that of those other countries.
19
A national goal to reduce the portion of GDP going to healthcare is needed, while not forgetting to be universal. The gap between what we are paying for healthcare compared to peer countries is essentially a huge tax burden on Americans. Achieve the cost goal, and the "who pays" questions will be easier to deal with.
1
This disaster has been 36 years in the making. It started when a group of mostly Southern Democrats supported almost everything Reagan did and eventually formed the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), taking over the party and marginalizing anyone who quaintly thought that the Democrats should oppose union busting, cuts in the social safety net, financial corruption, undermining foreign governments, or Milton Friedman's economic policies. With Dems like those, who needs Republicans?
They then failed to counteract the Republicans' propaganda offensive of blanketing the country with far-right AM talk radio stations. Far from countering Fox News, Al Gore led a group of investors to buy out a station with real potential, News World International, and instead of beefing it up and publicizing it, they turned it into a weak clone of YouTube.
The Dems also gave up Howard Dean's 50-state initiative and failed to educate voters on the importance of Congressional races. Otherwise, why would Rock County, WI vote solidly for Hillary and return Paul Ryan to Congress?
It wasn't just Comey. The Dems need to clean house, but so far they're re-electing retread leadership at all levels.
They then failed to counteract the Republicans' propaganda offensive of blanketing the country with far-right AM talk radio stations. Far from countering Fox News, Al Gore led a group of investors to buy out a station with real potential, News World International, and instead of beefing it up and publicizing it, they turned it into a weak clone of YouTube.
The Dems also gave up Howard Dean's 50-state initiative and failed to educate voters on the importance of Congressional races. Otherwise, why would Rock County, WI vote solidly for Hillary and return Paul Ryan to Congress?
It wasn't just Comey. The Dems need to clean house, but so far they're re-electing retread leadership at all levels.
19
Substance and thoughtful actions took a backseat years ago to the ease and comfort of empty promises, empty slanders, and safe imagery. Republicans have been in tune with the wonderful world of advertising for decades, and it has served them well. With Reagan they had the perfect Hollywood, American Classic image. With Bush II they had the slogan of "compassionate conservative" lead the way while the real muscle of the Administration, Cheney, pulled the strings. With Trump we have a perfect storm of "Make America Great Again" being sold to some people in very bad circumstances. Of course, Clinton with her "deplorable" comment created the perfect tipping point for that electoral disaster. And now we have Steve Bannon pulling the strings of Trumps pen on the executive orders. (Too bad his puppet keeps getting tangled in the strings). The republican Congress has done the same thing with gerrymandering, blocking legislation, and candy promises. I don't just see a train wreck coming soon. I see the tracks sinking in quicksand. I just hope the Democrats have a plan for when what to do that happens.
5
What really puzzles me about the lack of Republican agenda? Is what had they been doing over the last 7 years other than thwarting every piece of Obama and Democratic legislation or nomination?
We know Ryan was at the gym every day. McConnell, taking media training classes.
And, of course, Trump was dreaming of becoming President and this past weekend it became clear, was hatching a plan to seek revenge against Obama for embarrassing him at that White House Correspondents Dinner.
If the Birther movement wasn't effective enough, maybe the wiretaps would be a better alternative.
What makes them think they'll do any better in the next 7 years with a President whose only goverance experience was as a dictator on "Celebrity Apprentice".
We know Ryan was at the gym every day. McConnell, taking media training classes.
And, of course, Trump was dreaming of becoming President and this past weekend it became clear, was hatching a plan to seek revenge against Obama for embarrassing him at that White House Correspondents Dinner.
If the Birther movement wasn't effective enough, maybe the wiretaps would be a better alternative.
What makes them think they'll do any better in the next 7 years with a President whose only goverance experience was as a dictator on "Celebrity Apprentice".
5
In future columns, I would appreciate a reverse engineering of these Republican policy adventures. It seems they make no sense because they are carefully designed to address some private interests, overlooking the public interest. The Republican leadership seems to be acting as agent for these private interests. Who are they? Exposing how these contorted proposals only make sense from representing donor constituents would be a useful service.
7
No surprises anywhere Mr. Krugman.
The president is who he always was. No "thanks Comey", thanks Hillary, the most qualified and one of the most historic candidates that lost to a clown.
As for the Republicans in Congress ever since the Tea Party showed up they are there to disrupt not govern. We are way past the government is the problem.
We have a party not willing to govern. How long can they last?
The president is who he always was. No "thanks Comey", thanks Hillary, the most qualified and one of the most historic candidates that lost to a clown.
As for the Republicans in Congress ever since the Tea Party showed up they are there to disrupt not govern. We are way past the government is the problem.
We have a party not willing to govern. How long can they last?
4
Politics is the exercise of power.
In the American case fig leaves of political ideology are layered over the top to provide cover for those that run the show and call the tune. In this case that is the .1%. All Republican policies are aimed to satisfy their donor class and why wouldn't they be? They're paying the freight. To be fair, much of the same is true for the Dems. Their money largely comes from the same group.
It's why Trump got elected in the first place. Enough Americans were convinced, and rightly so, that the financial elites had been giving them the hindmost for the better part of two generations.
Trump stumbled on to this disenfranchised theme and ran with it. He's no more a Republican than I am. Where we differ is about core. I believe in helping others. He believes in helping himself and his family to whatever is within easy reach.
The fact that Trump is flummoxed by the notion of actually being President is not a surprise. He wouldn't have the first clue. Which is why he brought in Bannon. He needed something to think for him, write the EO's, and then arrange for the photo ops so he could sign them.
Let's not confuse the Grifter in Chief with the Republican Party. They are not one in the same. McConnell and Ryan are career piglets suckling off the giant teat that is the donor class. Trump is a wealth inheritor who was born on third base and thinks he is the home run leader.
It's hard to see how any of this ends well for Republicans.
In the American case fig leaves of political ideology are layered over the top to provide cover for those that run the show and call the tune. In this case that is the .1%. All Republican policies are aimed to satisfy their donor class and why wouldn't they be? They're paying the freight. To be fair, much of the same is true for the Dems. Their money largely comes from the same group.
It's why Trump got elected in the first place. Enough Americans were convinced, and rightly so, that the financial elites had been giving them the hindmost for the better part of two generations.
Trump stumbled on to this disenfranchised theme and ran with it. He's no more a Republican than I am. Where we differ is about core. I believe in helping others. He believes in helping himself and his family to whatever is within easy reach.
The fact that Trump is flummoxed by the notion of actually being President is not a surprise. He wouldn't have the first clue. Which is why he brought in Bannon. He needed something to think for him, write the EO's, and then arrange for the photo ops so he could sign them.
Let's not confuse the Grifter in Chief with the Republican Party. They are not one in the same. McConnell and Ryan are career piglets suckling off the giant teat that is the donor class. Trump is a wealth inheritor who was born on third base and thinks he is the home run leader.
It's hard to see how any of this ends well for Republicans.
20
Or how this ends well for any of us.
Initially I believed that the only good thing about the Trump presidency would be that its sheer awfulness would ruin the Republican brand. It's becoming increasingly clear that the Congressional Republicans are quite capable of doing that themselves.
The party of "NO!" has no coherent policies, no vote-ready legislation, in fact no clue how to do anything but cut taxes and complain. They own the government now and they destroy its functioning at their peril; the American people don't share today's GOP's hatred of all things Federal, at least when it comes to their own benefits and entitlements. Deprive millions of Americans of their access to health insurance as the GOP is determined to do and the Republican party becomes the party that stole your health care in order to give the ultra-rich another tax break.
This *in addition* to being the party that aids and abets Trump's incompetence and insanity at every turn of the Donald's wingnut.
It'll be a great record to run on in 2018.
The party of "NO!" has no coherent policies, no vote-ready legislation, in fact no clue how to do anything but cut taxes and complain. They own the government now and they destroy its functioning at their peril; the American people don't share today's GOP's hatred of all things Federal, at least when it comes to their own benefits and entitlements. Deprive millions of Americans of their access to health insurance as the GOP is determined to do and the Republican party becomes the party that stole your health care in order to give the ultra-rich another tax break.
This *in addition* to being the party that aids and abets Trump's incompetence and insanity at every turn of the Donald's wingnut.
It'll be a great record to run on in 2018.
17
I remember how Pelosi marshaled legislation through the House. She understood how to get her party to work together and moves things forward. Part of the blame on the GOP side lies with the Tea Party rebellion that sought to replace "compromised" otherwise known as experienced Republicans with right-wing novices who would refuse to negotiate with Democrats to pass legislation, otherwise known as governing. The voters then used the fear of being primaried to keep their representatives in line. Ironically, the gerrymandered districts giving so many House Republicans safe seats only seems to be making the current dynamic worse by preventing the GOP from making necessary corrections in how they operate resulting in dysfunction. i don't agree with them policy wise but I wonder how an Eric Cantor or a John Boehner might have made a difference in bringing some order to the process. Paul Ryan seems way in over his head.
7
Senator Cory Gardener and Scott Tipton 3rd district Colorado and Republican representatives around the country continue to avoid town hall meetings refusing to answer constituent's questions. Is it because republicans are feckless or are they just cowards? Probably a bit of both, but the longer they continue this avoidance, they had to sneak into a Republican dinner through the janitor's entrance last night to avoid our silent protest, the more certain it is that they will lose their election in two years.
11
No successful, industrialized country in the world governs by small government, low tax, low regulation policies. This does not work in our Red States, either.
It is not so much the GOP is ready or not to govern, but that history demonstrates that their ideas have not been shown to work. Except for the rich and powerful, but then it only works for a short time... until the financial collapse or the revolution.
It is not so much the GOP is ready or not to govern, but that history demonstrates that their ideas have not been shown to work. Except for the rich and powerful, but then it only works for a short time... until the financial collapse or the revolution.
17
I have always wondered how their "small government" would work: a tiny federal government attached to a gigantic defense department...they call those military dictatorships, don't they?
2
Their ultimate goal is to tear down the federal government which will finally end all taxation. As Reagan said, "government is not the solution, government is the problem." All they care about is their own bottom line and not paying taxes. Sad.
10
It was Reagan who made popular the trope that the federal government can't do anything well. The idea was already present and common among Republicans who hated FDR and the New Deal, my mother among them.
It goes along with the trope that if the government does good things for the people then the people will all become slackers.
Now, almost 40 years after Reagan's election, the Republican party has become a party of bad faith: its only ambition is to destroy anything in the federal government that promotes the popular good.
There cannot be a functional relationship between two parties when one of them is acting in bad faith. That is true from personal relationships all the way to government, and everything in between.
There's no point discussing the merits or demerits of Ryan's proposals, because they aren't made in good faith. He knows that and we know that, but he wants to maintain a pretense of good intention where none exists.
Too bad, Ryan, we're not buying it.
It goes along with the trope that if the government does good things for the people then the people will all become slackers.
Now, almost 40 years after Reagan's election, the Republican party has become a party of bad faith: its only ambition is to destroy anything in the federal government that promotes the popular good.
There cannot be a functional relationship between two parties when one of them is acting in bad faith. That is true from personal relationships all the way to government, and everything in between.
There's no point discussing the merits or demerits of Ryan's proposals, because they aren't made in good faith. He knows that and we know that, but he wants to maintain a pretense of good intention where none exists.
Too bad, Ryan, we're not buying it.
19
Actually, I think we are seeing the extremism and diabolical aspirations of the Republican Party operating perfectly. They don't want much government so learning to govern is not in their playbook.
Anyone who cares about seeing a functional government will be barking up the wrong tree because appealing to Trumpsters and their Ayn Rand supporters is futile. Their instincts to destroy government still drives their agenda and they can't reconcile it with the need to use and keep some form of government to serve their selfish interests.
Anyone who cares about seeing a functional government will be barking up the wrong tree because appealing to Trumpsters and their Ayn Rand supporters is futile. Their instincts to destroy government still drives their agenda and they can't reconcile it with the need to use and keep some form of government to serve their selfish interests.
10
Make no mistake: even if the GOTP manages to proffer a "half baked" version of the PPACA, it will incorporate a wholesale incineration of women's rights to access uncensored reproductive healthcare, including contraception, abortion, cancer screenings, etc. Women are to be subjugated to right wing patriarchal Christian extremist men: in pay parity, in healthcare privacy and primacy, in access to child care, and a litany of other vital safety net services. Paul Ryan has never been anything other than a fraud and "intellectual policy wonk" poseur, who has no problems showering billions of dollars to his plutocrat donors, while literally taking food from the mouths of impoverished, hungry children. he is a venal, punitive ideologue who loathes the poor, whom he views as "takers," while the policies he espouses guarantee that their poverty will continue unabated while he and his handlers enrich themselves. As for the GOTP writ large: their central problem is that they need our government in order to get richer, but their contempt for governing knows no bounds. GOTPower uber alles sums them up. 3/6. 8:54 AM
22
Despite a campaign that's half as long as a presidential term, there wasn't one query in any format -- TV interview, news, town hall, stadium rally, debates -- that ascertained a candidate's basic knowledge of government, constitution, state government, American history, global events, major treaties, economics, foreign relations, national priorities.
For two years we -- and the media -- let a dozen plus hyper-opinionated, maliciously misinformed and glaringly flawed losers preen, posture and pontificate utter nonsense with pre-tested punchlines that poisoned with prejudice. The notorious GOP clown car careened about, with the clowns hopping out to take turns sniping and snarking at each other. They all played white guys in suits, even the few who weren't.
No one demanded evidence that any of them knew as much about America as aspiring new Americans who have to pass a citizenship test. Instead we were content to marvel at the sheer gall and brazen stupidity dressed up as our best and brightest.
The only qualified candidate was savaged by stealth, fake and foolish by a murderous despot desperate for glory days she stood in the way of. Even her party rival pitched in, doing irreparable damage by denying her two critical months of vote targeting, which she earlier had the grace to give Obama and insured his voter turnout.
A party not ready to govern and a people too easily conned by their own lies and the self-harm inflicted by fear, anger and hate.
They own this.
For two years we -- and the media -- let a dozen plus hyper-opinionated, maliciously misinformed and glaringly flawed losers preen, posture and pontificate utter nonsense with pre-tested punchlines that poisoned with prejudice. The notorious GOP clown car careened about, with the clowns hopping out to take turns sniping and snarking at each other. They all played white guys in suits, even the few who weren't.
No one demanded evidence that any of them knew as much about America as aspiring new Americans who have to pass a citizenship test. Instead we were content to marvel at the sheer gall and brazen stupidity dressed up as our best and brightest.
The only qualified candidate was savaged by stealth, fake and foolish by a murderous despot desperate for glory days she stood in the way of. Even her party rival pitched in, doing irreparable damage by denying her two critical months of vote targeting, which she earlier had the grace to give Obama and insured his voter turnout.
A party not ready to govern and a people too easily conned by their own lies and the self-harm inflicted by fear, anger and hate.
They own this.
41
I am beginning to suspect that all this governeering by the Republicans is an extension of the anti-immigrant movement. Make the US so dysfunctional and unattractive that people stop wanting to come here. That would solve the immigration 'problem' once and for all. It would even keep out the better-educated legal immigrants who compete for jobs with the also-rans of the US education system. That will give the less educated a great chance to advance in the world.
5
"Thanks, Comey."
Comey did NOT want Trump. And nor did he want Secretary Clinton. Comey was and is trying to get Pence in the Oval Office.
First, he sat on the Kompromat report on Trump while accusing Secretary Clinton of crimes with respect to her e-mails. Twice. Then saying she'd been exonerated of anything criminal (she was very careless, but not quite criminally so). After the Trump-Pence team won, he presented the Kompromat report, which (he hoped) would get rid of Trump. But it hasn't. Yet.
Now he's saying Trump is wrong to falsely accuse President Obama of wiretapping. He may well suggest that the accusation might be a criminal offence. Anything to get Trump out and Pence in.
Of course, Prof Krugman would not be that fond of Pence, but let's accuse Comey of what he's really guilty of.
Comey did NOT want Trump. And nor did he want Secretary Clinton. Comey was and is trying to get Pence in the Oval Office.
First, he sat on the Kompromat report on Trump while accusing Secretary Clinton of crimes with respect to her e-mails. Twice. Then saying she'd been exonerated of anything criminal (she was very careless, but not quite criminally so). After the Trump-Pence team won, he presented the Kompromat report, which (he hoped) would get rid of Trump. But it hasn't. Yet.
Now he's saying Trump is wrong to falsely accuse President Obama of wiretapping. He may well suggest that the accusation might be a criminal offence. Anything to get Trump out and Pence in.
Of course, Prof Krugman would not be that fond of Pence, but let's accuse Comey of what he's really guilty of.
4
Getting Trump in place is just Part A of the plan: gain the presidency. If Trump can't be made do the job, Part B is to point out to Trump he can resign or be impeached. Then Pence is moved in and the corporate Theocracy completely controls govt from the Supreme Court and the Presidency all the way down to the majority of state legislatures.
Simply put, corporately controlled fundamentalist Theocracy is firmly in place, no matter what.
Simply put, corporately controlled fundamentalist Theocracy is firmly in place, no matter what.
5
WE own this!
I agree and have been saying this for months
Pence is Torquemada...a true believer that will follow through and can't wait to help bring about the day of reckoning...
Pence is Torquemada...a true believer that will follow through and can't wait to help bring about the day of reckoning...
1
Yes, yes and yes.
One lesson here, if indeed the American Republic stands, is for the Democratic Party. If they ever lose their wits and think of running someone who is dangerous for America, even if he or she is about to get the most votes, they need to look at the debacle that is the Republican Party and learn not to grin and bear it, but instead to fight against their own Party's stupidity/
Paul Ryan and the rest of the Republicans betray a dark and sick part of their souls when they sit next to Trump and go along, just because he won the election. Sometimes elections don't work, sometimes evil sneaks its way in.
Hugh Massengill, Eugene Oregon
One lesson here, if indeed the American Republic stands, is for the Democratic Party. If they ever lose their wits and think of running someone who is dangerous for America, even if he or she is about to get the most votes, they need to look at the debacle that is the Republican Party and learn not to grin and bear it, but instead to fight against their own Party's stupidity/
Paul Ryan and the rest of the Republicans betray a dark and sick part of their souls when they sit next to Trump and go along, just because he won the election. Sometimes elections don't work, sometimes evil sneaks its way in.
Hugh Massengill, Eugene Oregon
6
Yes, it was the Democrats who were not ready to govern by giving us a weak candidate like Hillary Clinton. Cry all we want the guilt lies with the DNC for forcing Hillary upon us.
And don't come back with that nonsense about the Democrat primary campaign and the independent vote!
It was going to be Hillary whether the voters liked it or not.
And now look at the mess we are in.
And don't come back with that nonsense about the Democrat primary campaign and the independent vote!
It was going to be Hillary whether the voters liked it or not.
And now look at the mess we are in.
3
Jimmy, totally disagree. HRC was a fantastic candidate when you look at her policies. There was no way to tell the electorate would so profoundly vote against their own interests, that white people (women!) harbor such racial resentment, and that people would completely ignore policy over personality.
Deny all you want, but she still would have won had Comey not put his finger on the scale.
Deny all you want, but she still would have won had Comey not put his finger on the scale.
1
It's unclear to me how Paul Ryan ever got a reputation as a policy wonk. He is at best a mediocre spreadsheet jockey who's learned that you can reduce some numbers to balance a budget. but has yet to learn the human implications of those reductions or to divine any creative alternatives.
10
One can only hope that the GOP"s ultimate "emperor with no clothes" of Donald will bring ultimately bring them all down. But with so many living in the fact free world of Fox et al, I doubt it. Let them govern for a while and when things fall apart like they always do under Republicans, Dems will take over again. And then Republicans will shout and blame and block and be re-elected again. I am close to giving up all faith.
7
It is complicated and takes intellect, heart, critical thinking skills, honesty, communication skills and integrity; a willingness to come to the table of disagreement with a stated intention with genuine willingness to find a solution acceptable to all parties because the real bottom line for human beings is caring about each other.
3
I see another ulterior motive to Trump's slashing the IRS budget. He's repeatedly told us he's been under audit for years. This man is not above payback of the highest order. Also, the less staff at that agency, the continual threats from the Oval Office, the less likelihood there will be of any leak of Trump's tax returns. Much of what this man this person has done or said in the past month, and earlier, smacks of retribution and nothing less.
5
The GOP is waiting for Trump to implode. Its coming, they know its coming and they'll be ready when it comes. Ryan and McConnell are smiling like embarrassed parents of petulant wild child at grandma's Christmas dinner. Just grinning their way through it.
Make no mistake, when rump is carted off in a tight fitting jacket, President Pence (remember him?) and the club of meanies will move with all haste.
There will be many more smiles then too. But the smirky, smug swaggery kind. Until mid terms that is.
Make no mistake, when rump is carted off in a tight fitting jacket, President Pence (remember him?) and the club of meanies will move with all haste.
There will be many more smiles then too. But the smirky, smug swaggery kind. Until mid terms that is.
6
Mr. Krugman I believe you cheapen your legitimate criticism's of Trump with your continued conspiratorial explanations of HRC's defeat.
Comey didnt swing the vote. It was simply a case of one deeply flawed candidate defeating another deeply flawed candidate. The problem was in the primary process when legitimate candidates such as Jim Webb didn't flourish. Perhaps our primary process needs to be reevaluated.
Comey didnt swing the vote. It was simply a case of one deeply flawed candidate defeating another deeply flawed candidate. The problem was in the primary process when legitimate candidates such as Jim Webb didn't flourish. Perhaps our primary process needs to be reevaluated.
2
So I see your favorite punching bag, Comey, whose announcement about Weiner's laptop was of little interest to Trump voters -- who'd already made up their minds, and who were lying to pollsters anyway-- is now loudly defending Obama. Oh, and investigating Trump. Is it time yet to more realistically account for Clinton's loss?
2
Comrade Comey is defending no one but himself.
Why is it so many nice folks are Republicans, but what you get in Congress and this President appears to be very not nice? These nice local Republicans support voter suppression? They support cutting back on Social Security and Medicare? They want to dictate sexual mores to women? To gays and lesbians? They think everyone carrying concealed weapons is a great idea? It is a mystery to me. One thing I do know, is that no one understands money, debt or national accounts. So when it comes to our financial schemes, they all fail. Neither party can deliver on their promises because the leadership of both parties (Bernie Sanders excepted because his economic advisor is economist Stephanie Kelton) have absolutely zero clue about the finances of a monetary sovereign.
2
DT's Presidency is the punishment the Republicans earned for their 8 years of defiance of President Obama along with their refusal to do their job and move America forward.
4
This entire administration sounds like the kid in school who does poorly on an exam and then whines that they were never told what material was going to be included on the test. Their feckless tweeter of a "leader" takes it one step further by buying stolen answers from an upperclassman only to find out that he either bought the wrong test or the upperclassman was as ignorant as he is.
449
Went to school with so many like that --- they wanted the exact questions. I wondered what kind of a test is that?
1
Great comment! SOOO True!!!
1
Are you sure Paul Ryan doesn't understand it? Not, that I understand it - but from what you have written, I think it's the kind of reform Sen. Ryan and President Trump wouldn't want to understand. I imagine this loading of debt is how Trump managed to pay $0 in federal taxes. And WalMart up in arms? They should have been up in arms 40 years ago had Congress been doing their job! My only fear -- it's too late. I guess it's why, I can be seen with a tear in my eyes at a pizza restaurant situated on the bluff in Burlington, IA. I sat there last Saturday night, surrounded by a people downtrodden, looking out the windows at the massive homes - homes built in another time, homes that no one will afford, again. I started to cry, wondering "how" and "why" "what" will happen to us all.
5
After eight years honing their skills in one simple act - obstruction, the GOP Congress is finding out what all thinking people already knew: it's easy to be a troll, hard to be a content generator.
8
The Republican "health care plan" is a sham done by mentally lazy people whose goal is to "cull" the American population of people they don't like: the elderly, the poor, people of color, immigrants, and LGBTQ people.
I'd try to hide the facts, too, if the facts called for pulling the floor of some healthcare possibilities out from under 18 million fellow Americans--some three times the numbers of the victim classes in the Final Solution (which included my relatives remaining in Europe in 1939). They want to do this at no cost and, if anything, a profit to those who pay for play in politics.
The GOP should change its symbol from the now-endangered, noble elephant, to that awful old symbol of hate that is being mistakenly put on Jewish community centers and synagogues in this country. For it's the GOP's tolerance of hate and genocide that facilitates it.
Quentin Tarentino's allegory, "Inglorious Basterds," nails this and should be required viewing.
I'd try to hide the facts, too, if the facts called for pulling the floor of some healthcare possibilities out from under 18 million fellow Americans--some three times the numbers of the victim classes in the Final Solution (which included my relatives remaining in Europe in 1939). They want to do this at no cost and, if anything, a profit to those who pay for play in politics.
The GOP should change its symbol from the now-endangered, noble elephant, to that awful old symbol of hate that is being mistakenly put on Jewish community centers and synagogues in this country. For it's the GOP's tolerance of hate and genocide that facilitates it.
Quentin Tarentino's allegory, "Inglorious Basterds," nails this and should be required viewing.
4
Who do these people remind one of when you see them in a group? The Dead End Kids in those long ago movies! Except these Dead End Kids controlling the government have themselves come to a dead end. No health care plan, no economic recovery plan, no concern for the welfare of the American people, no interest in honesty, no knowledge of race relations, and absolute fear of reality. Did I say no loyalty for each other? I almost forget that one!
So how does the movie end for these Dead End Kids? Not well and that applies to all who bought a ticket to this theatre of the absurd. It sure is a cliff hanger. Will "Donnie," "Paulie," "Jeffie," "Mitch," and "Bannon-Boy," and their new gang member "Valadie" overcome their bumbling to save the day and their own movie. Just keep watching for the worst is yet to come for all of us. P. S. and the popcorn is stale!!!
So how does the movie end for these Dead End Kids? Not well and that applies to all who bought a ticket to this theatre of the absurd. It sure is a cliff hanger. Will "Donnie," "Paulie," "Jeffie," "Mitch," and "Bannon-Boy," and their new gang member "Valadie" overcome their bumbling to save the day and their own movie. Just keep watching for the worst is yet to come for all of us. P. S. and the popcorn is stale!!!
3
Wouldn't the problem be solved by renaming Obamacare Trumpcare?
1
Maybe they thought they wouldn't win and therefore wouldn't actually have to produce anything?
2
Trump, Ryan and McConnell. When the history of these times is written, historians will have a hard time deciding which of them sank lower in betraying the interests of the American people.
28
When you have a party that has been fueled by a disdain -- nay, revulsion -- for anything with a whiff of intellectualism or anyone standing as an expert, we should not be surprised that their leaders, from top to bottom, bask in having a .22 caliber mind while confronting a .357 Magnum world.
6
I agree totally with the fundamental premise of PK's column, namely that the governmental dysfunction that has become so evident since 1/20 is merely a reflection of the Party that has no commitment to governance. The GOP, therefore, hasn't bothered to learn how to do it. And now it shows.
But please, enough of the "Thanks, Comey" tripe. Sure, the Comey gumdrop and Putin's Russia may have tipped an essentially balanced electoral scale away from HRC, and America us just beginning to pay the heavy price. If, however, Democrats insist on pinning the blame in Comey and Putin, they miss the essential point if their own self-inflicted political dysfunction. Even with God on his side, Donald Trump should never have won the election of 11/8. A geriatric, sclerotic Democratic Party allowed defeat to be snatched from the jaws of victory.
The GOP has mastered the dark art of politicking with no idea of how to govern. The Democrats know how to govern with no idea about how to get there. This unpleasant reality has nothing to do with James Comey, and Democrats had better stop pretending that it does.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
But please, enough of the "Thanks, Comey" tripe. Sure, the Comey gumdrop and Putin's Russia may have tipped an essentially balanced electoral scale away from HRC, and America us just beginning to pay the heavy price. If, however, Democrats insist on pinning the blame in Comey and Putin, they miss the essential point if their own self-inflicted political dysfunction. Even with God on his side, Donald Trump should never have won the election of 11/8. A geriatric, sclerotic Democratic Party allowed defeat to be snatched from the jaws of victory.
The GOP has mastered the dark art of politicking with no idea of how to govern. The Democrats know how to govern with no idea about how to get there. This unpleasant reality has nothing to do with James Comey, and Democrats had better stop pretending that it does.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
11
The only "good" thing to come from the current Republican mess in Washington is the potential for Democrats to flip the House in 2018. In the meantime, hopefully a few reasonable and brave Republican senators will join the Democrats to prevent the repeal of Obamacare. Rand Paul of Kentucky, whose state has had success with Obamacare for its people, is apparently not on board with the Republican "plan."
Insures will not like repeal of the individual mandate because of adverse selection. For once, hard working Americans might actually benefit from a lobbying group.
Insures will not like repeal of the individual mandate because of adverse selection. For once, hard working Americans might actually benefit from a lobbying group.
2
The only thing that surprises me about this column is that Krugman seems at least mildly surprised that the Republicans are completely unable to govern. My God, if they proved nothing else under Dubya it's that they can't do anything constructive once they are in power.
Our country is in for a major mauling at the hands of these awful people, but will, I hope, survive. Meanwhile, while the Republicans are messing up and having to own their failures, if the Democratic Party can get its head out of its behind and actually return to its FDR-roots, we might once again have "morning in America" in 2020.
Our country is in for a major mauling at the hands of these awful people, but will, I hope, survive. Meanwhile, while the Republicans are messing up and having to own their failures, if the Democratic Party can get its head out of its behind and actually return to its FDR-roots, we might once again have "morning in America" in 2020.
12
For at least 2 decades the GOP has been a reactionary party based on fantasies and lies. They don't believe in any of the rhetoric they spew about states rights, the deficit, terrorism, drugs, size of government, education, taxes, etc. Their goal is short-term power and money, to enrich their enablers in the 0.01%. That's it.
As scary as all that is, what I find even more frightening is the large number of ordinary Americans, something like 30%-40%, who support this bankrupt GOP agenda even though it means nothing but suffering for them. This core seems so frustrated and angry that they want to go down in a spasm of self-destruction.
As scary as all that is, what I find even more frightening is the large number of ordinary Americans, something like 30%-40%, who support this bankrupt GOP agenda even though it means nothing but suffering for them. This core seems so frustrated and angry that they want to go down in a spasm of self-destruction.
16
As this administration with its dangerous leader undoes everything that is for the good of the country and as this Congress seems unwilling to step in and defend our country, we the people must act. Years ago private institutions and enraged people took on South Africa's apartheid. We must now take on American companies and institutions that support all the efforts to ruin our environment and put our people and economy. This means an enormous boycott agains oil/gas/coal/chemical/deforesting-paper producing companies, banks, all those entities (from Walmart to whatever) that are now profiting from this administration's actions. Support the least destructive companies if there are next to no alternatives. If you can't use public transport, ride a bike, or walk, drive a foreign car to bring these American low-minded companies to heel. We are consumers, stop consuming or choose to consume as though your life depends on it. It does. This is serious... band together and show your power.
5
Uh huh. Like that's going to happen. A few more liberals will shop at whole foods, drive a Prius, and claim that they are saving the world.
1
Arithmetic. Always the Democrats secret weapon against the Republicans.
14
Whatever the Republican problems, this is total projection about the Democrats. It took Bill over a year to come up with a health plan and then Hillary fouled it up.
Obama adopted the Heritage-Romney plan and gave it to the Finance Committee rather than the Health Committee. Predictably it became a Pharma, hospital, insurance subsidy rather than the single payer program that the Senate health honchos Mikulsky and Harkins said Obama had the votes to pass.
Krugman has fooled himself into actually believing that Obamacare is perfect. Others should step back and think. Did the Republicans call Medicare Johnsoncare? Of course, not. It was a great plan and popular.
Did the Democrats call Bush's great prescription plan Bushcare? Of course, not, for the same reason. In fact, they never mention it, but lie and say that the Republicans only want privatization when they passed (with Ryan voting for it) an expansion of socialist Medicare, totally unfunded.
Why were the Republicans so quick to label ACA as Obamacare? Why did they give him "credit?" Because they knew it was a bad and unpopular plan. So did Obama in 2008 when he opposed the mandate and then when he postponed implementation until 2014. The mandate is politically impossible.
Are the Democrats really going to follow Krugman in total negatviism? Are they going to embrace Obamacare totally and use their 60 Senators to keep it in place? The Republicans will convincingly call them the party of the mandate.
Obama adopted the Heritage-Romney plan and gave it to the Finance Committee rather than the Health Committee. Predictably it became a Pharma, hospital, insurance subsidy rather than the single payer program that the Senate health honchos Mikulsky and Harkins said Obama had the votes to pass.
Krugman has fooled himself into actually believing that Obamacare is perfect. Others should step back and think. Did the Republicans call Medicare Johnsoncare? Of course, not. It was a great plan and popular.
Did the Democrats call Bush's great prescription plan Bushcare? Of course, not, for the same reason. In fact, they never mention it, but lie and say that the Republicans only want privatization when they passed (with Ryan voting for it) an expansion of socialist Medicare, totally unfunded.
Why were the Republicans so quick to label ACA as Obamacare? Why did they give him "credit?" Because they knew it was a bad and unpopular plan. So did Obama in 2008 when he opposed the mandate and then when he postponed implementation until 2014. The mandate is politically impossible.
Are the Democrats really going to follow Krugman in total negatviism? Are they going to embrace Obamacare totally and use their 60 Senators to keep it in place? The Republicans will convincingly call them the party of the mandate.
1
Dr. Krugman nailed it: "....it isn’t just about Mr. Trump’s inadequacies. The whole party, it turns out, has been faking it for years."
From Speaker Ryan's smug grins, belying years of conscious inactivity.
Wisconsin and Michigan residents know well that his sanction of recent severe cuts to the Great Lakes Restoration Fund shall be devastating in their effects.
Five lakes and their surrounding states. Wildlife habitats and watershed pollution. Entire ecosystems destroyed down river from the lakes, mangling local economies all over the USA.
Mitch McConnell, decades in the Senate, looking tired and thoroughly bored.
Warming a seat there since 1977, is it?
Compared to the median US household income, Kentucky median household income is $10,560 lower...
Compared to the US per capita income, Kentucky per capita income is $4,897 lower. His Kentuckians now unhappily worrying about their health care.
What have these men been doing all these years?
From Speaker Ryan's smug grins, belying years of conscious inactivity.
Wisconsin and Michigan residents know well that his sanction of recent severe cuts to the Great Lakes Restoration Fund shall be devastating in their effects.
Five lakes and their surrounding states. Wildlife habitats and watershed pollution. Entire ecosystems destroyed down river from the lakes, mangling local economies all over the USA.
Mitch McConnell, decades in the Senate, looking tired and thoroughly bored.
Warming a seat there since 1977, is it?
Compared to the median US household income, Kentucky median household income is $10,560 lower...
Compared to the US per capita income, Kentucky per capita income is $4,897 lower. His Kentuckians now unhappily worrying about their health care.
What have these men been doing all these years?
15
Unless Krugman has proof that Comey's to-and-fro re. Clinton's emails cost her the Electoral College, he'd be wise to stop blaming Comey for the loss and accept that he, Krugman, much too fervently, and too early, tried to close the door behind Clinton.
The election was Clinton's to lose, and long before Comey's statements, she lost it by not engaging flyover country and all those electoral votes.
Thanks, Krugman.
The election was Clinton's to lose, and long before Comey's statements, she lost it by not engaging flyover country and all those electoral votes.
Thanks, Krugman.
1
I'm afraid the Republicans will not actually repeal the ACA, but they will take steps to undermine it, such as not funding subsidies, and not enforcing the individual mandate. In that case, many insurance companies may withdraw from the program, premiums would become unaffordable and the system may collapse in many states. Then the Republicans, having sabatoged the plan, will blame the problems on Obama.
The other result of this political gambit, will be that many Americans will die from preventable medical issues, while others will be bankrupt as a result of medical bills.
Hopefully, the electorate will recognize who the true culprits are, and make them pay the price at the polls, and perhaps even prevent the destruction of the ACA.
The other result of this political gambit, will be that many Americans will die from preventable medical issues, while others will be bankrupt as a result of medical bills.
Hopefully, the electorate will recognize who the true culprits are, and make them pay the price at the polls, and perhaps even prevent the destruction of the ACA.
5
Those of us who are wide awake are very concerned about Trump and his non-stop insanity. But let's not forget that it's the Republicans in the House and Senate who are also driving the country into the ground. So far, they've been unable or unwilling to oppose Trump in any way. Their silence and evasion exposes them as being equally corrupt and equally culpable for whatever disasters ensue.
29
These people are too ignorant and fractious to come up with anything they can say "yes" to.
The problem for the GOP, other than having elected a crazed billionaire as President, is that they (at least the ones with a conscience) are being whipsawed by their constituents and their donors. Their donors want what is good for their own interests and could care less about the negative impact on millions of their fellow countrymen. The constituents want a fair and affordable health care system and a tax code without expensive favors for large donors.
18
So, while everyone in Congress--Republicans too, I hope--is scratching their head in amazement regarding Donald Trump's inadequacy as President, the Republicans will attempt to pass a Health Care Bill that no one understands.
Sounds like something I'd vote for.
Health Care, unlike corporate taxes and esoteric trade deals, is something the average voter can understand pretty quickly. Either a family's Health Care costs will rise or fall, Health Care will be available or won't, and the whole process will be comprehensible or won't.
I assume the Trump base, a group that can act pretty cranky pretty fast, will recognize just how well the new plan (assuming it is passed) works fairly quickly.
The Republicans can put a happy face on tax breaks for the rich, cancellation of TPP, even new hidden taxes in the form of Privatization. But, middle class America will feel betrayed if the Republicans bungle Health Care Reform.
I'm not saying they will or they won't, but this is the one issue that could tear the Trump constituency apart.
Sounds like something I'd vote for.
Health Care, unlike corporate taxes and esoteric trade deals, is something the average voter can understand pretty quickly. Either a family's Health Care costs will rise or fall, Health Care will be available or won't, and the whole process will be comprehensible or won't.
I assume the Trump base, a group that can act pretty cranky pretty fast, will recognize just how well the new plan (assuming it is passed) works fairly quickly.
The Republicans can put a happy face on tax breaks for the rich, cancellation of TPP, even new hidden taxes in the form of Privatization. But, middle class America will feel betrayed if the Republicans bungle Health Care Reform.
I'm not saying they will or they won't, but this is the one issue that could tear the Trump constituency apart.
7
No. They will blame it on Obama and their base will buy it.
1
There are three key questions to answer related to any replacement option for the Affordable Care Act:
1. Will the replacement cover at least as many people as the ACA (32 million) and further decrease the rate of people without health insurance in the United States (8.9% though rate in Texas, highest in the nation, is 17.1%)?
2. Will the replacement ensure that Medicaid remains a fully-funded state-federal partnership, which guarantees access to all eligible low-income families and people with disabilities?
3. Will the replacement maintain the consumer protections in the ACA including prohibitions against insurers from discriminating against the 133 million people (10.86 million in Texas according to HHS) with per-existing conditions?
If the "replacement" does not guarantee all three, it's not a replacement. So far we don't know what the replacement might look like but I doubt these guarantees are in place.
1. Will the replacement cover at least as many people as the ACA (32 million) and further decrease the rate of people without health insurance in the United States (8.9% though rate in Texas, highest in the nation, is 17.1%)?
2. Will the replacement ensure that Medicaid remains a fully-funded state-federal partnership, which guarantees access to all eligible low-income families and people with disabilities?
3. Will the replacement maintain the consumer protections in the ACA including prohibitions against insurers from discriminating against the 133 million people (10.86 million in Texas according to HHS) with per-existing conditions?
If the "replacement" does not guarantee all three, it's not a replacement. So far we don't know what the replacement might look like but I doubt these guarantees are in place.
5
Gross incompetence is the only thing preventing a full-on dictatiorship. This clown car might actully save democracy. Bless their pointed little heads.
5
Another decade another repeat of the same playbook by the same players. Our hyper-partisan institutions are not moving the country forward. We lurch forward based on ideas that have shown no progress for decades.
The fundamental failures include not collecting enough tax revenues to cover expenses, doubling down on tax cuts that expand our deficits and then claiming that the deficits are evidence of a need to cut the same government that this group is responsible for funding. This is simply madness.
The GOP has the power to create a sound financial program but instead, plans on offering yet another budget with trillions of dollars of shortfalls. This is the surest sign of a failed political party. Based on their decades of poor leadership and their current support of an unstable President the GOP should not be allowed to run anything. Send every one of them home next November.
The fundamental failures include not collecting enough tax revenues to cover expenses, doubling down on tax cuts that expand our deficits and then claiming that the deficits are evidence of a need to cut the same government that this group is responsible for funding. This is simply madness.
The GOP has the power to create a sound financial program but instead, plans on offering yet another budget with trillions of dollars of shortfalls. This is the surest sign of a failed political party. Based on their decades of poor leadership and their current support of an unstable President the GOP should not be allowed to run anything. Send every one of them home next November.
6
So the DBCFT is going to amount to a sales tax plus a subsidy to domestic factors of production--land, labor, etc. Will this not run afoul of the US's various international commitments regarding free trade? If every country in the world implemented something like a DBCFT, wouldn't this be like everyone implementing light tariffs, where a subsidy to domestic factors of production are paid out by a sales tax that also taxes imports?
All of those white working and middle class Americans who voted Republican over the past three decades are now , hopefully, starting to find out they have been duped by a political party that never cared about them but were good at rhetoric and propaganda to convince many white Americans they were the party for them. The Republican Party is mostly made of of unenlightened white people, racists, bigots, xenophobes, and evangelicals that would like to turn the country into a theocracy. Let's hope more intelligent and enlightened minds prevail or we are lost as a nation.
6
Your penultimate sentence explains why very few of those same people will figure out they've been duped or if they do, they won't admit it. They find it too gratifying for the "others" to suffer like they are.
1
you are so correct Ron, I agree.
Most of America (and the world) is now painfully aware of the Trump administration "what?". I am referring to the breathtaking, continuous, ongoing, day-by-day, tweet-by-tweet free fall of the Executive Branch. However, like any injured patient with a slashed artery - the bloodletting cannot just continue indefinitely. Mr. Krugman needs to rise above the shocking facts of the "what?" and provide crucial insights that will lead us in the direction of understanding 1) the "why?", and 2) "where?" this snowless winter toboggan is taking us. Like Houston, I already know that we've got a problem. I'd like a discussion directed in this opinion column towards grappling with why we've got a problem and what we're going to do about it - before the patient dies, not after.
1
The Republican Party has preached economic ignorance for decades and has now provided America with an incompetent President and a dysfunctional Congress. With so many greedy cheerleaders in the chain of command, impeaching the current leadership could only make things worse.
We're in for a terrible time, but if the Grand Oil Party survive it, we are doomed.
We're in for a terrible time, but if the Grand Oil Party survive it, we are doomed.
11
The rejection of authority has infected Congress, a body that once was the most morally authoritative in the world, one that once had admirable leaders. This atomization of society has been going on since, at least, the invention of the printing press--it should be no surprise to anyone. Since the Reformation and the recent unending supply of digital bits, everyone now imagines themselves a sovereign nation.
We live by myths; one is that we have a wonderful democracy and that its basics have always been our default condition. Yet it is still not a full century since women's suffrage was "granted." And dozens of states restrict the right to vote and the right of women to choose. And as always, the votes of the wealthy are millions of times stronger than those of ordinary people.
This is a repeat of history, but this time on steroids. For the Democratic Party to overcome this wave requires that their leaders realize that this is not just some quirk that can be corrected as if by replacing a battery; it will also require an educated public that knows a lot more than most know now. It’s not just Trump voters who are “poorly-educated.” This is not just an unfortunate convergence of circumstances in D.C. It’s humanity at work.
We live by myths; one is that we have a wonderful democracy and that its basics have always been our default condition. Yet it is still not a full century since women's suffrage was "granted." And dozens of states restrict the right to vote and the right of women to choose. And as always, the votes of the wealthy are millions of times stronger than those of ordinary people.
This is a repeat of history, but this time on steroids. For the Democratic Party to overcome this wave requires that their leaders realize that this is not just some quirk that can be corrected as if by replacing a battery; it will also require an educated public that knows a lot more than most know now. It’s not just Trump voters who are “poorly-educated.” This is not just an unfortunate convergence of circumstances in D.C. It’s humanity at work.
7
You cannot understand the Republican Party without understanding the stumbling of American business. In the 1950's Republicanism made sense, as it mandated hands off everything, just let business do it.
But now business works in China or Mexico, and the rich investor class lives in America, and Republicanism has devolved into a party devoted to income inequality.
Hugh Massengill, Eugene Oregon
But now business works in China or Mexico, and the rich investor class lives in America, and Republicanism has devolved into a party devoted to income inequality.
Hugh Massengill, Eugene Oregon
12
In other words, the letters 'GOP' stands for
Guardians Of Privilege
Greedy Oil Party
whose mission is to comfort the comfortable and afflict the afflicted.
Guardians Of Privilege
Greedy Oil Party
whose mission is to comfort the comfortable and afflict the afflicted.
1
Professor Krugman: It's going to take more than a few months to see how this drama turns out. I'd wait until November 2018 to see how the Republican Party fares in the only minds that matter: those of voters. In contrast, we can see how voters judged another "party not ready to govern". First they lost the House, then they lost the Senate, and then they lost the White House, not to mention numerous state legislatures and governorships. Any guesses to which party I'm referring, Paul?
3
I agree fully that the Republicans in Congress are not prepared to govern. My concern is that Democratic members of Congress, who seem to be getting a big boost now from combatting the Trump administration's proposals, will also lose the ability to plan for the future and adopt and implement legislation to advance a positive agenda. Democrats need to focus on the positive in terms of policies they would adopt if they had a majority and find common ground with moderate Republicans. If they don't show signs that the can govern more effective, respect their colleagues, and compromise where appropriate, Congress will remain dysfunctional for decades to come.
2
I once entertained the fantasy that Trump would be so thoroughly terrible as a president that it would bring the two parties together (what's left of them, anyway).
I am now resigned to the conclusion that even if the President were to push the proverbial button and bring about an apocalyptic cataclysm, the final words of the last surviving Republican would be: "Well, of course, I'm not so crazy about the world coming to an end... But Hillary would have been so much worse!"
I am now resigned to the conclusion that even if the President were to push the proverbial button and bring about an apocalyptic cataclysm, the final words of the last surviving Republican would be: "Well, of course, I'm not so crazy about the world coming to an end... But Hillary would have been so much worse!"
22
I'm afraid you are right Dan, and it is frightening how many sheeple follow a fool who is completely inadequate AND CRAZY, and a party that is full of idiots who don't give a damn about anything but getting elected.
1
A failure of education? Don't forget Donald Trump's comment, I love the uneducated. Not enough attention has been paid to the budgetary axe that's fallen on public education, especially in places like Louisiana and Kansas, but even here in NYState. What happened to the Louis Brandeis ethos connecting public education with civic engagement and advancement? It's true rhetoric never matched achievement, but at least the spirit was there in some major influential quarters. Now, it's a wonder Trump voters don't recognize the scam; their health, their schools, their bank accounts, their air and water and land under siege, why aren't they the ones taking to the streets in protest?
6
The dog has caught the car. Now he has the problem that the car continues to move and a 50 pound dog is no match for a 2,000 pound car under whose chassis it may soon be pummeled.
The Republicans, like the dog, had no plan past barking and marking its territory. Urinating on its environment may help the dog, but it is none too good for the trees or hydrants. Just so, the Republicans are none to good for the citizens they purport to represent as they relieve themselves upon us all--ask Kansans how they feel now...
The Republicans, like the dog, had no plan past barking and marking its territory. Urinating on its environment may help the dog, but it is none too good for the trees or hydrants. Just so, the Republicans are none to good for the citizens they purport to represent as they relieve themselves upon us all--ask Kansans how they feel now...
16
I am trying to remember the last Republican president who was truly intelligent. Probably Nixon, first elected in '68, but forced to resign is disgrace for using his notable intelligence for nefarious purpose. One certainly could make the case for Ike, however, he's not a striking example of intellectual firepower. If ethics in office is added, none come to mind unless you go way back to Teddy Roosevelt at the turn of the last century. On the Democratic side, most were intelligent and behaved with the best interests of the American people in mind. My claim surely appears blatantly partisan, but a careful analysis by this admitted armchair historian yields no other plausible conclusion.
16
Apparently the Russians have done a better job vetting officials in the Trump administration and the Cabinet than the Republicans did.
Вот это да!
Вот это да!
12
I think even the Russians are second guessing their choices.
2
"The only possible way that the rubes who vote Republican will wake up is to let them run the country into the ditch. Again."
But how many of the rubes can recognize the ditch when they fall into it?
For far too long now, Republicans have been winning elections by accurately gauging the intelligence of a large swath of the 'Murican populace. They're quite aware that far too many people can't handle a deductive chain of reasoning or understand complex socioeconomic arguments, but such people can handle simple soundbite appeals to pride, God, guns, and the demonization of the other.
The question is really how bad do things have to get before the low information voter--and the low information non-voter--can't engage in simplistic denial anymore?
I suspect for those people things will have to get a lot worse before their brains crack and let in some light. Probably Great Depression, no food on the table, no money coming in level worse. And even then they'll still be susceptible to appeals that it's all the tax, spend, and give away freebies to the undeserving Democrats fault.
As the saying goes, you can't fix stupid.
If we can't at least mitigate the power of stupid, though, the nation has no future.
But how many of the rubes can recognize the ditch when they fall into it?
For far too long now, Republicans have been winning elections by accurately gauging the intelligence of a large swath of the 'Murican populace. They're quite aware that far too many people can't handle a deductive chain of reasoning or understand complex socioeconomic arguments, but such people can handle simple soundbite appeals to pride, God, guns, and the demonization of the other.
The question is really how bad do things have to get before the low information voter--and the low information non-voter--can't engage in simplistic denial anymore?
I suspect for those people things will have to get a lot worse before their brains crack and let in some light. Probably Great Depression, no food on the table, no money coming in level worse. And even then they'll still be susceptible to appeals that it's all the tax, spend, and give away freebies to the undeserving Democrats fault.
As the saying goes, you can't fix stupid.
If we can't at least mitigate the power of stupid, though, the nation has no future.
17
Best political article of the season! Yes - Emperor Trump has no clothes. Only the most detached Trump supporters don't accept that in the recesses of their minds at this point. But, the problem is much larger. The Republicans are the
"tear down" party. Look at what we have here. Surprise, surprise. These empty-headed Tea Partyers have no idea what the issues actually are nor how to solve them. Mr. Ryan, he of all the effusive self-praise ("intellectual heavy-weight of the Conservative movement") is actually a smirking, bobble head with no idea how to reform anything. Amateur hour! But, unfortunately, they are dismantling the work of generations of public servants who came before them. Democrats and Republicans.
"tear down" party. Look at what we have here. Surprise, surprise. These empty-headed Tea Partyers have no idea what the issues actually are nor how to solve them. Mr. Ryan, he of all the effusive self-praise ("intellectual heavy-weight of the Conservative movement") is actually a smirking, bobble head with no idea how to reform anything. Amateur hour! But, unfortunately, they are dismantling the work of generations of public servants who came before them. Democrats and Republicans.
13
One of the many myths propagated by conservatives is that our corporate taxes are high compared to other countries. It is true that our nominal rate of 35% is high, but because of loopholes, this figure is meaningless.
A good parameter to look at is total corporate taxes actually paid divided by GDP because neither of these figures can be fudged by corporations. If you look at developed countries, you will see that Norway has the highest value at 12.5%. The US is tied with Turkey for the lowest at 1.8%. If you look at all the countries touted by conservatives as low tax countries such as Ireland or Canada, you will see that their corporate taxes as a percentage of GDP are higher. http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/are-taxes-in-the-u-s-high-o...
In addition, during the Great Prosperity, 1946 - 1973, this figure was about 3 times higher than today
It seems to me that if our real corporate taxes were in line with the rest of the world or maybe even higher than the average, corporations would think twice about leaving piles of cash lying around and would reinvest them to avoid paying tax.
A good parameter to look at is total corporate taxes actually paid divided by GDP because neither of these figures can be fudged by corporations. If you look at developed countries, you will see that Norway has the highest value at 12.5%. The US is tied with Turkey for the lowest at 1.8%. If you look at all the countries touted by conservatives as low tax countries such as Ireland or Canada, you will see that their corporate taxes as a percentage of GDP are higher. http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/are-taxes-in-the-u-s-high-o...
In addition, during the Great Prosperity, 1946 - 1973, this figure was about 3 times higher than today
It seems to me that if our real corporate taxes were in line with the rest of the world or maybe even higher than the average, corporations would think twice about leaving piles of cash lying around and would reinvest them to avoid paying tax.
18
It is time to consider the I word when it comes to this presidency. The sad part of this is that under Pence, the party would still be unable to govern since the extremists would still be a viable part of the Republicans. Americans won't and can't accept there positions on civil rights, taxation , health care, lack of foreign policy, and trickle down economics.
The good news is that the 2018 election is right around the corner, and Democratic house is possible.
The good news is that the 2018 election is right around the corner, and Democratic house is possible.
6
The mess we are in is the outcome when society is led by those with no essential principles beyond incumbency. The fatal flaw for this generation of Republicans is that they don't care for the nation or the people who make it up, other than themselves and the wealthy interests who paid for their candidacies and their re-elections.
When you blend self-indulgence with venality, what you end up with are elected representatives of the people, including a President, who do not see, hear or empathize with the people they are supposed to serve.
When you blend self-indulgence with venality, what you end up with are elected representatives of the people, including a President, who do not see, hear or empathize with the people they are supposed to serve.
15
I'm more pessimistic than PK. It seems to me that our political system is failing in a systemic way. We keep talking about specific people, Trump or Ryan or Comey. But we've seen a stunning failure of countless institutions and individuals to stand up and do what's right. Why is everything failing at once? Are people now really worse than they were 20 years ago, more cynical? I don't know.
I don't see the left or the Democrats as being particularly healthy or strong now. Yes, when compared to the GOP, they look good, but that's a low standard. They don't have enough of a connection to the public to win against people who are obviously lying. Who are the leaders on the Democratic side? Has anyone noticed how quickly Democrats have put away talk of inequality, now that the issue isn't being forced?
Our electorate has become unhinged and detached from reality, and the people on top have become more and more dedicated to kleptocracy. The response of many business leaders to the current crisis is to try hard to exploit it for whatever regulatory change will let them prey on consumers and workers, or that will let them pollute with impunity.
Most of the people I read on Twitter now are convinced that it's all Russia's fault. I'm sure Russia is doing what it can to exacerbate our problems, but the collapse we're seeing is so broad and deep that it couldn't have possibly been caused by Russia. No one is looking inside.
We're in free fall, and we have no idea where the floor is.
I don't see the left or the Democrats as being particularly healthy or strong now. Yes, when compared to the GOP, they look good, but that's a low standard. They don't have enough of a connection to the public to win against people who are obviously lying. Who are the leaders on the Democratic side? Has anyone noticed how quickly Democrats have put away talk of inequality, now that the issue isn't being forced?
Our electorate has become unhinged and detached from reality, and the people on top have become more and more dedicated to kleptocracy. The response of many business leaders to the current crisis is to try hard to exploit it for whatever regulatory change will let them prey on consumers and workers, or that will let them pollute with impunity.
Most of the people I read on Twitter now are convinced that it's all Russia's fault. I'm sure Russia is doing what it can to exacerbate our problems, but the collapse we're seeing is so broad and deep that it couldn't have possibly been caused by Russia. No one is looking inside.
We're in free fall, and we have no idea where the floor is.
9
You're absolutely right that "The story of Obamacare repeal would be funny if the health care — and, in many cases, the lives — of millions of Americans weren’t at stake." Unfortunately, the damage by the "Gang that Couldn't Legislate Straight" may already be done as the uncertainty over the "repeal and replace" fiasco is enough to kill the the private insurance market for Obamacare. Companies need to make their decisions now and with no presidential leadership and Congressional chaos there may be no insurance available for 2017. It's a looming disaster for many Americans,like my son, whose health and well-being and very existence is caught up the Congressional greed to create a "three card monte" game of tax credits, health savings accounts, and block grants to bilk the public of the money they need to afford insurance and turn it into tax cuts for the wealthy.
12
Paul, it's not that they're unready to govern. That would assume they actually wanted to govern in accordance with practices that you and I would recognize. It also assumes they share the consensus that governing beats non-governing. But here's the thing - they don't share that consensus, and they do not intend to govern. "Deconstructing the administrative state" does not require governing. This is about wielding naked power. If you really thought any reasoning was possible, think again.
Discussing Trump's or any of his cabinet member's inadequacies is beside the point. They want you to fall for the smokescreen of stupidity. Meanwhile, the travel ban and its coverage in the press has been an unmitigated success in blurring immigrants, illegal immigrants, Muslims, and foreigners. Exceptions handled on a case-by-case basis? How generous! Rules and laws have been replaced by ad-hoc discretionary decisions that create uncertainty, fear, and arbitrariness in the exercise of power. This will be the pattern going forward. You can see where this is heading.
Discussing Trump's or any of his cabinet member's inadequacies is beside the point. They want you to fall for the smokescreen of stupidity. Meanwhile, the travel ban and its coverage in the press has been an unmitigated success in blurring immigrants, illegal immigrants, Muslims, and foreigners. Exceptions handled on a case-by-case basis? How generous! Rules and laws have been replaced by ad-hoc discretionary decisions that create uncertainty, fear, and arbitrariness in the exercise of power. This will be the pattern going forward. You can see where this is heading.
18
Read the highlighted "Trust me". It explains some new gobbledygook you've probably never heard of before. The take away here is that the study of Economics is mainly about balances. (the allocation of scarce resources is just a part of this, which may or may not be efficient) You change something here, it has an effect on something there. Many changes happen on their own-- one of which is that buying habits can be fickle--or the Invisible Hand. Another way to say this is too many variables to make accurate predictions (most predictions are a continuation of whatever's happening), but in the trading/derivatives markets, computers are now used to get around this on a short term basis. (this last needs a citation--long term, we know the results--already two financial meltdowns.) On necessities, the Invisible Hand, is buyers maintaining the lowest price. Corporations try to get around this through monopolies or directed subsidies protection from governments.
Corporate taxes are at historic lows. Changes should be: 1. a minimum tax; 2. lowering the rate in exchange for before taxes profit sharing for all employees, suggested 2% for 4% respectively; base pay=average all workers/managers; 3. 25% parity tax where foreign rates are much lower. Mexico: enforce that workers there have social security, workcomp, healthcare benefits or a border tax free zone. China: Trade equal on a yearly basis.
Incentives for renewables across the board, enforcement of clean air/water.
Corporate taxes are at historic lows. Changes should be: 1. a minimum tax; 2. lowering the rate in exchange for before taxes profit sharing for all employees, suggested 2% for 4% respectively; base pay=average all workers/managers; 3. 25% parity tax where foreign rates are much lower. Mexico: enforce that workers there have social security, workcomp, healthcare benefits or a border tax free zone. China: Trade equal on a yearly basis.
Incentives for renewables across the board, enforcement of clean air/water.
4
The ACA subsidies ensures that tax cuts go to working or struggling Americans who need them and will immediately return the money back into our economic system. Subsidies and "tax cuts" for corporations and the wealthy can end up in savings accounts with interest collection often off-shore. Those at the top don't need to spend and the last blind tax cuts that favor the wealthy did not create jobs as promised and led to the second worst economic melt-down since the 1920s - why is this so hard to remember? It was only a few years ago.
10
More attention needs to be paid to the Trump GP's rollback of regulations protecting communities, workers, and the environment. The current party in power seems to be achieving its goals.
15
The real problem for the Republicans in congress is that there simply isn't enough money to go around.
They can't all be billionaires. They can't keep all their wealthy but insatiable donors content by not taxing them. They can't afford to give Little Donald the gigantic, absolutely beautiful wall that he desires as his lasting monument and the enormously bloated high-tech military that he wishes to parade before the world. And what about the bridges, dams, and all the other "American made" infrastructure they've promised? This stuff costs money. Big money.
Then there's that pesky bunch of old people and unemployed and uninsured. And people drinking poisonous water and lacking access to even basic human services. And young people wanting an education that doesn't leave them in debt for life. A collective nuisance to be sure, but a lot of them are still allowed to vote.
So they'll do what they always do. Blame someone else.
They can't all be billionaires. They can't keep all their wealthy but insatiable donors content by not taxing them. They can't afford to give Little Donald the gigantic, absolutely beautiful wall that he desires as his lasting monument and the enormously bloated high-tech military that he wishes to parade before the world. And what about the bridges, dams, and all the other "American made" infrastructure they've promised? This stuff costs money. Big money.
Then there's that pesky bunch of old people and unemployed and uninsured. And people drinking poisonous water and lacking access to even basic human services. And young people wanting an education that doesn't leave them in debt for life. A collective nuisance to be sure, but a lot of them are still allowed to vote.
So they'll do what they always do. Blame someone else.
21
We have a country with a large segment of the population that equates lack of pity, mercy and compassion with wisdom and vision.
Strength is considered being materially invulnerable to the plight of the unfortunate and poor. There is a frenetic scramble not to be a 'taker', as though all who find themselves at the mercy of someone else are to be labeled losers.
The Koch brothers inherited millions from their father and want to repeal the ACA.
With deregulation in full swing I don't know of anything more cruel and crushingly merciless than this desire on their part.
Coupled with Trumpian idiocy, lies and base character the Koch bros assault on the ACA signifies that 'all the devils are here'.
It is not just the poor who are vulnerable. The middle class is in jeopardy. There are still billions left in their earnings to take.
Strength is considered being materially invulnerable to the plight of the unfortunate and poor. There is a frenetic scramble not to be a 'taker', as though all who find themselves at the mercy of someone else are to be labeled losers.
The Koch brothers inherited millions from their father and want to repeal the ACA.
With deregulation in full swing I don't know of anything more cruel and crushingly merciless than this desire on their part.
Coupled with Trumpian idiocy, lies and base character the Koch bros assault on the ACA signifies that 'all the devils are here'.
It is not just the poor who are vulnerable. The middle class is in jeopardy. There are still billions left in their earnings to take.
13
We need to stop thinking of the Republican Party as a normal political party. Rooted in the deep south with that region's deep antipathy towards being part of the United States, and comprised largely of single party House seats and Senators, this party is capable of the most horrible actions. Obamacare will be repealed this spring with only patchwork or utterly phony replacement parts (try saving up for cancer treatment). Won't matter to Republicans acting out of their hatred for anything decent the US government does. Paul Ryan will not be happy until he is able to dance on the grave of a seven year old girl intreated for leukemia, with one hand waving free clutching his repeal bill. Then he will go home, and hug his family all of whom are protected by very good health insurance.
13
If I had a twitter account, I would probably start one of those hash-thingies:
#aretheRepublicansgaslightingTrump?
I have long maintained that the plan all along was to use him to turn out the base, and then have him conveniently step down so that Pence could appear to be the reasonable replacement.
I suspect that all there are a lot of prayers going up from the Christianist Fundamentalists along those lines.
But hey, it's probably just another conspiracy theory, right? ;-)
#aretheRepublicansgaslightingTrump?
I have long maintained that the plan all along was to use him to turn out the base, and then have him conveniently step down so that Pence could appear to be the reasonable replacement.
I suspect that all there are a lot of prayers going up from the Christianist Fundamentalists along those lines.
But hey, it's probably just another conspiracy theory, right? ;-)
9
Call me a cynic but I think that the problem the Republicans have is not "how to govern", but simpler "how to blame Democrats, immigrants and minorities" when their unpopular policies fail as the inevitably will.
Their drive is to shovel all of the wealth of the country to the richest of the rich and the greediest of the corporations, that's easy. Avoiding blame for the disaster that ensues is hard.
Their drive is to shovel all of the wealth of the country to the richest of the rich and the greediest of the corporations, that's easy. Avoiding blame for the disaster that ensues is hard.
13
Professor Krugman concludes, "...what we’re witnessing is what happens when a party that gave up hard thinking in favor of empty sloganeering ends up in charge of actual policy."
I would only point out that what we are witnessing is what happens when people who do no thinking, whose understanding of the world is captured on a bumper sticker, vote.
I would only point out that what we are witnessing is what happens when people who do no thinking, whose understanding of the world is captured on a bumper sticker, vote.
33
The dark side of democracy.
I think the point that Republicans are in--and responsible for--this mess along with Trump is the most important points to understand. The Republican Party shenanigans (which seems too light of a term for what they are doing to this country) shows they are incapable of governing in any form.
While Democrats' downfall is that they simply assume that doing the right thing is enough without selling it, Republicans lie incessantly and do the wrong thing for the country over and over and over.
However, it feels like something big is on the horizon. To go with a ridiculous diversion as the one spewed by Bannon and Trump over the past few days shows how terrified they are. As the Russian story begins to crack open we will see temper tantrums like never before. We should all brace ourselves for that and be ready to put the finishing touches on a party that has derailed progress for far too long.
While Democrats' downfall is that they simply assume that doing the right thing is enough without selling it, Republicans lie incessantly and do the wrong thing for the country over and over and over.
However, it feels like something big is on the horizon. To go with a ridiculous diversion as the one spewed by Bannon and Trump over the past few days shows how terrified they are. As the Russian story begins to crack open we will see temper tantrums like never before. We should all brace ourselves for that and be ready to put the finishing touches on a party that has derailed progress for far too long.
24
There are two issues at play here. First, many Americans have tired of progressives pushing agendas that are not consistent with their thinking. Hence things like trans bathroom laws and voter fraud legislation as misguided pushback. Second, the Republican party has cobbled together a shaky coalition based on the point above, where each unrelated group is just ticked off about their issue. These have led to Trump and a Republican party that has no plan or vision (and no Obama to coalesce around). Unfortunately the rag tag group of disgruntled (but mostly honorable) "Trumpers" needed this presidency to see how misguided they have become. I'm sticking with my prediction that Trump is gone by January 2019.
6
A President should be the best, surrounded by the better. When a Party nominates an elderly, inexperienced President sans full disclosure (taxes, business ties), the writing is on the wall. When a Republican held House and Senate confirm an unfit Cabinet, permitting extreme advisers like Bannon to influence said President, the writing is on the wall. When Republican leaders like McConnell and Ryan show that they only know how to obstruct/destroy to enrich a shadow government of the wealthy, the writing is on the wall. Our President follows a well known playbook: create false enemies (Mexicans, Muslims), attack the fourth estate, build up the military, enrage foreign allies, and impoverish the Middle Class. There are others in government, even from his own party, who can rewrite this fate. Where? Cowards, Republicans, all! Their hand writing, too, is on the wall.
36
What does elderly have to do with it?
Back in 1787, in the days of quill pens, before word processors, computers, the internet and the automobile it was possible for our Founding Fathers to draft our Constitution and create an entire system of government in 116 days or a little less than 4 months. The GOP has had over 7 years to come up with an alternative to the ACA and can't. That's what happens when you have a party of mental midgets and party hacks unwilling to make the necessary compromises that are essential to good government. Pathetic.
67
Back in 1787 everyone at the table pretty much thought the same way. Much easier and quicker.
So well said....
This "...empty sloganeering" has been ongoing for years, so often informed by what is now viewed increasingly by the American public as the same old tired GOP cliches of less taxes and market regulation, trickle down formulas which favor only the rich, evil socialist health care, contempt for global warming and fear based wildly inflated defense spending. Krugman is right - where are the ideas that will reap rewards for the many, not just the few? It took a Democrat in 1932 and in 2008 to pull the US out of a horrific downward financial spiral - and, in the years from 2008 to 2016, Obama the Democrat did so successfully, despite the most obstructionist, partisan group of Republicans much more intent on seeing him fail rather than the US emerge from the worst recession since the Depression.
19
The solution continues to be to get good progressive candidates on ballots, not just for the presidency and the senate, but the house, the various state houses and state senates, sheriff, district attorney, mayor, governor, and dog catcher!
All politics is local. Tip O'Neil
Demonstrate to show we are the majority opposition,
Organize to get those candidates on ballots,
Vote to get those candidates
Elected.
If the Republicans succeed in throwing up road blocks to various voting groups, we have to help those affected overcome those blocks.
Every office in every election for at least the next 8 years.
All politics is local. Tip O'Neil
Demonstrate to show we are the majority opposition,
Organize to get those candidates on ballots,
Vote to get those candidates
Elected.
If the Republicans succeed in throwing up road blocks to various voting groups, we have to help those affected overcome those blocks.
Every office in every election for at least the next 8 years.
13
A few more candidates like Hillary and you may need to rebrand the entire party just to remove the stench.
The inability of the Republicans to govern could be predicted given their behavior during the last eight years. In the run-up to the election I thought that if anyone wanted to destroy the Republican party then they should vote for Donald Trump - I'm now wondering if the Russians are playing a long game with a goal of destroying the two party system in the US by helping Trump win the election?
13
Yes, what Bill Benton said. The chasm between the distribution of wealth eroded the principles on which America was founded. This glaring disparity is the macroscopic explanation for the tumultuous apex of duplicity and disarray among the Republican party. Astronomical campaign contributions render elected officials obligated to their benefactors, not the voters to whom they misrepresented themselves for election. As a result, Congress is infiltrated with mercenary frauds who flagrantly defy the Constitution by abdicating their sworn oath to represent the interests of their constituency. Most Congressional Republicans sold a well funded patriot mirage to the public in exchange for election, but they are not public servants. They represent the interests of the oligopoly- who care only about protecting their wealth, and adding to it - at the expense and deterioration of the country from which those riches were gleaned. It is difficult for the person with everyday responsibilities, worries and concerns to focus on, much less feel empowered to change this base corruption when inundated with Trump's egregious theater of the absurd. When the truth is exposed that Trump is a charlatan and no plan benefiting the average person exists, voters will unseat Congressional imposters. Protests, investigations, etc. are all healthy actions undertaken by people firmly resolved to unravel this mess in our government, and elect candidates with no corporate funding who represent all citizens.
9
Look at the fact that the Republican lawmakers are concentrating on two basic issues; the repeal of Obamacare and taxes. It is more than "empty sloganeering. It's electioneering. These are issues that have gotten them power positions for decades. Same ideas, just a new way around the same result. It's purely politics like this that has won Republicans two elections so far and if it continues without Democrat criticism, promises to win them more power in 2018.
8
We are mesmerised by the Donald Trump circus across the pond - partly to escape focusing on our own political predicament:
(a) We have in effect one political party.
(b) Our unelected leader is driving the country over the Brexit cliff
(c) Our dying sheep opposition party emits the occasional bleat.
We comfort ourselves that we at least do not have Donald Trump as our leader. Oh, the joys of populism
(a) We have in effect one political party.
(b) Our unelected leader is driving the country over the Brexit cliff
(c) Our dying sheep opposition party emits the occasional bleat.
We comfort ourselves that we at least do not have Donald Trump as our leader. Oh, the joys of populism
25
Greed Over People never had any intention to govern, but rather to steal everything in sight.
While stealing America's reasoning ability and connection to reality the last 50 years, the Republican Party successfully stole Americans' wages, pensions, campaign system, free elections, health care and the basic idea of news and facts.
Having inflicted their Pachyderm Spongiform Encephalopathy on half the voters, the Grand Old Pre-Schoolers and the heroic Pre-Schooler-In-Chief plan to give America a final push from intellectual bankruptcy into fiscal/economic bankruptcy by collapsing the national treasury and gutting the IRS.
The IRS collects $3.3 trillion annually so the government can function.
The White House budget office has proposed a 14.1% cut to the IRS as part of an effort to collapse the government.
But the gap between taxes owed and taxes paid — averaged $458 billion from 2008 from 2010.
Collecting even half that sum with more audits and tax enforcement could would shrink the government’s annual budget deficit without increasing taxes ...but that idea is just too damn sensible for the Grand Old Pirates.
Every dollar of investment in the IRS yields $4 in revenue; the GOP hates such
good ideas.
“The confluence of a 14% reduction...with a promise of major tax reform is a recipe for disaster at the country’s most significant revenue-producing agency” said former IRS commissioner Lawrence Gibbs.
Destroying the IRS for an insolvent America: GOP 2017.
"Free-dumb !"
While stealing America's reasoning ability and connection to reality the last 50 years, the Republican Party successfully stole Americans' wages, pensions, campaign system, free elections, health care and the basic idea of news and facts.
Having inflicted their Pachyderm Spongiform Encephalopathy on half the voters, the Grand Old Pre-Schoolers and the heroic Pre-Schooler-In-Chief plan to give America a final push from intellectual bankruptcy into fiscal/economic bankruptcy by collapsing the national treasury and gutting the IRS.
The IRS collects $3.3 trillion annually so the government can function.
The White House budget office has proposed a 14.1% cut to the IRS as part of an effort to collapse the government.
But the gap between taxes owed and taxes paid — averaged $458 billion from 2008 from 2010.
Collecting even half that sum with more audits and tax enforcement could would shrink the government’s annual budget deficit without increasing taxes ...but that idea is just too damn sensible for the Grand Old Pirates.
Every dollar of investment in the IRS yields $4 in revenue; the GOP hates such
good ideas.
“The confluence of a 14% reduction...with a promise of major tax reform is a recipe for disaster at the country’s most significant revenue-producing agency” said former IRS commissioner Lawrence Gibbs.
Destroying the IRS for an insolvent America: GOP 2017.
"Free-dumb !"
331
Fox News. A huge part of the population thinks that if they saw it on TV it must be true.
1
I would argue that the GOP is no longer a true political party, at least in the conventional sense. Its members behave more like those in a cult. Its traditional conservatism has been overtaken by some strange hybrid of old-line republicanism and a new-age right wing paranoia, fed 24/7 by the internet and radio hucksters. There is no single cohesive set of governing principles that I can see other than the rock-solid belief that anyone not firmly in the cult is liberal to a fault, un-American and must be marginalized from the political process. Orange Julius may not be long for the office, but we're stuck with the cult and its members for a long time to come, and that does not bode well for the country.
32
There's one single governing principle and it is anarchy. You know, minimize government and then drown it. We don't need government - it only limits our freedom to lie, cheat, steal and otherwise victimize each other fully. That's it. That's the principle.
10
Movement conservatism has been the slow death of the GOP, in that it allows them to win office, but has eroded their capacity to govern and administrate. It's probably why they work so hard to create one-party states in areas where they dominate -- if you have no alternatives to them, then you're forced to put up with their inability to govern.
The GOP has, from Goldwater's time onward, winnowed its ranks of its liberal wing and its moderate wing, leaving only the reactionary fire-breathers among its ranks, trying to masquerade as sensible politicos. You can see the results of it in places like Brownbackistan (formerly known as Kansas).
To be able to govern, the GOP has to be willing and able to work with the other side -- and, increasingly, that means two sides: liberals and moderates. Until they do that, they're only going to be able to seize office and then not do anything while in power and then whine about how government is the problem. Government's not the problem; Republican government is the problem -- these days, "Republican government" is an oxymoron.
The GOP has, from Goldwater's time onward, winnowed its ranks of its liberal wing and its moderate wing, leaving only the reactionary fire-breathers among its ranks, trying to masquerade as sensible politicos. You can see the results of it in places like Brownbackistan (formerly known as Kansas).
To be able to govern, the GOP has to be willing and able to work with the other side -- and, increasingly, that means two sides: liberals and moderates. Until they do that, they're only going to be able to seize office and then not do anything while in power and then whine about how government is the problem. Government's not the problem; Republican government is the problem -- these days, "Republican government" is an oxymoron.
19
"But whatever the eventual outcome, what we’re witnessing is what happens when a party that gave up hard thinking in favor of empty sloganeering ends up in charge of actual policy. And it’s not a pretty sight."
I'm not a Republican, not a Trump supporter, instead I opted to become an independent before the election due to the behavior of too many Democrats. The statement above describes the current political position of the Democratic party, given the string of losses over almost a decade resulting in the worst shape that the party has been in almost a century. Perceived stability doesn’t count for much if you're merely digging yourself into a deeper hole. Worst of all the party leadership isn't being held responsible, instead it appears to be a play of doubling down on a losing position. Democrats have to be better than the lesser of two bad choices.
I'm not a Republican, not a Trump supporter, instead I opted to become an independent before the election due to the behavior of too many Democrats. The statement above describes the current political position of the Democratic party, given the string of losses over almost a decade resulting in the worst shape that the party has been in almost a century. Perceived stability doesn’t count for much if you're merely digging yourself into a deeper hole. Worst of all the party leadership isn't being held responsible, instead it appears to be a play of doubling down on a losing position. Democrats have to be better than the lesser of two bad choices.
4
In my work, I travel in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central- and Southern-Asia. Those countries are much lower than the US on the income scale, but show what we might become. The shifting of resources from the public to the private sector, essentially the consequences of Republican proposals, will build walls. Not just the one along our border. In every city I have worked, I have seen walls around hotels, government buildings, private residences, and even "public" parks—all built to keep the poor out. We have begun that process.
As more of our income and wealth become concentrated among the few, they will naturally build the walls necessary to prevent the rest of us from seeing and touching their lives. Some walls will be visible, others will be invisible. The latter will be more insidious and effective as funding for schools skews towards private academies, as costs for college tuition continue to skyrocket, and as health care becomes trips to the emergency room.
Our current president has spent his life behind these walls. Aided and abetted by the Republicans in Congress, he will build more and higher than ever.
As more of our income and wealth become concentrated among the few, they will naturally build the walls necessary to prevent the rest of us from seeing and touching their lives. Some walls will be visible, others will be invisible. The latter will be more insidious and effective as funding for schools skews towards private academies, as costs for college tuition continue to skyrocket, and as health care becomes trips to the emergency room.
Our current president has spent his life behind these walls. Aided and abetted by the Republicans in Congress, he will build more and higher than ever.
67
When our National Security inherent in universal healthcare is portrayed as acquiescence to socialism how do we expect to change tax laws which have enriched the 0.01%? A thinly disguised VAT tax? The “destination-based cash flow tax,” is a complex VAT tax, especially when the very wealthy recognize fragile junctures in flow. When Republicans cannot alter the primacy of hydrocarbons or even recognize the costs of hydrocarbons: military, air and water pollution and resultant health costs, global warming, inequalities and abuses in oil producing states, population displacements in oil producing areas, indiscriminant distribution of arms, no one expects this "tax reform" to pass muster in Koch land.
Of note, Republicans may have reached a profound tipping point. Like all conspiratorial thieves, they are unwinding, losing cohesion, and about to collapse. They have no binding loyalties, principles, or morals. They embrace the "Southern Strategy", "fetal person-hood", Islamaphobia, Xenophobia, misogyny, and lies about Social Security, Medicare, and the ACA, public education, and the military budget. This is a house of cards replete with contradictions and attentional biases. It is obvious to everyone including Republicans that the "American people" does not consider or include the 99%.
Of note, Republicans may have reached a profound tipping point. Like all conspiratorial thieves, they are unwinding, losing cohesion, and about to collapse. They have no binding loyalties, principles, or morals. They embrace the "Southern Strategy", "fetal person-hood", Islamaphobia, Xenophobia, misogyny, and lies about Social Security, Medicare, and the ACA, public education, and the military budget. This is a house of cards replete with contradictions and attentional biases. It is obvious to everyone including Republicans that the "American people" does not consider or include the 99%.
10
Yes - you'd think that after 50 or so votes to repeal the ACA (maybe GOP lawmakers need that much practice simply to repeal), they would have had a well worn copy of the replacement plan ready to go on day one of this administration. Instead they seem to just be waking up from a trance - "replace," oh, we have to have something, like a bill, to replace it with, oh, ok, well. let's. see......
39
It's tough to come up with a plan to replace the ACA when you don't really want to. The sole purpose of the supposed plan to replace it is just cover for taking it away, if we're going to be honest about it. That's the whole hang-up. Ted Cruz, et al. don't want anyone to get health insurance from the government.
1
Of course it is easier to look at the 2 big policy issues than to examine the cumulative effects of thousands of smaller changes, all of which weaken schools, the environment, gun common-sense, financial transparency, governmental integrity, consumer protection, fair housing, employee security, etc.
This thing is, Trump meant it when he said 'America First' - Americans will be first to have our environment polluted, our schools gutted, our elections compromised, our food system threatened, our security undermined, our cities militarized, our society turned ugly, our economy prostituted, our attention distracted by trash while our moral integrity is quietly stolen.
Americans will be first to feel the revolution of this long-planned agency. But the most profound and longest-lasting effects will likely come from a thousand tiny hammers, tiny erosions that slip unnoticed, not from the big ticket items.
This thing is, Trump meant it when he said 'America First' - Americans will be first to have our environment polluted, our schools gutted, our elections compromised, our food system threatened, our security undermined, our cities militarized, our society turned ugly, our economy prostituted, our attention distracted by trash while our moral integrity is quietly stolen.
Americans will be first to feel the revolution of this long-planned agency. But the most profound and longest-lasting effects will likely come from a thousand tiny hammers, tiny erosions that slip unnoticed, not from the big ticket items.
45
Excellent column. I know you say Republicans are caught up in a quagmire, but Mr. Trump has been pretty busy on the regulation front, rolling back to date 90 of them. Most of these Rollbacks are pretty dire: environmental atrocities are sure to increase, corporations can act more loosely, ICE agents have been given new freedoms to harass and deport 11 million.
people.
Even without Congress, Trump is managing to raise the misery Index for the entire nation. But big donors are growing restless as this paper reported yesterday. The Kochs in particular really insist on Obama care repeal now with or without a "beautiful plan" that gives all Americans "first class affordable healthcare" free from the bondage of government.
For the average American, watching the struggle between rich donors and congressional leaders in implementing conservative solutions would be rather funny if it didn't have such a direct impact on people's lives.
But instead of a legislative slugfest we are watching the insanity of a emotionally unfit president and his bumbling staff that doesn't even have the courage to take away his private phone.
people.
Even without Congress, Trump is managing to raise the misery Index for the entire nation. But big donors are growing restless as this paper reported yesterday. The Kochs in particular really insist on Obama care repeal now with or without a "beautiful plan" that gives all Americans "first class affordable healthcare" free from the bondage of government.
For the average American, watching the struggle between rich donors and congressional leaders in implementing conservative solutions would be rather funny if it didn't have such a direct impact on people's lives.
But instead of a legislative slugfest we are watching the insanity of a emotionally unfit president and his bumbling staff that doesn't even have the courage to take away his private phone.
66
The party of magical thinking has met the empty suit and elected him President. They now control the Congress and the Presidency and have a majority of the Supreme Court. They have appointed a cabinet of such low intellect that the phrase 'in the land of the blind the one-eyed is King' has become reality. This cannot end well.
They have fired life long bureaucrats of substance who keep the government functional during transitions and times of crisis. Bushes 'good job Brownie' and Greenspan's 'shocked disbelief' take on a whole new meaning when the whole government is a inept as this one is.
'Alternative facts' are in reality just another name for alternative reality which is the definition of schizophrenia. An ideal time to test out the 25th amendment. The only problem is that there is no one in the line of succession who is sane.
They have fired life long bureaucrats of substance who keep the government functional during transitions and times of crisis. Bushes 'good job Brownie' and Greenspan's 'shocked disbelief' take on a whole new meaning when the whole government is a inept as this one is.
'Alternative facts' are in reality just another name for alternative reality which is the definition of schizophrenia. An ideal time to test out the 25th amendment. The only problem is that there is no one in the line of succession who is sane.
44
I feel safer just knowing someone like Paul Krugman is out there writing the truth at this bleak moment. Thank you, Dr. Krugman!
29
Ryan faces the problem that nothing he is doing actually helps voters; and he can't afford to do anything that upsets donors.
Everything Ryan manages to push through has to not impact the base or the swing voter until after the mid-terms. And he has to find a way to blame the Democrats for failure when the GOP holds the House, the Senate, the WH, soon the Court, and most of the States.
So disarray is the outcome. But they will push through the ACA repeal - the Koch brothers are getting antsy - and if the fallout is immediate, there will be a huge mess to clean up.
I have to congratulate the GOP, though. They have managed to radicalize my 80+ year old mother, most recently outraged by the reversal of the clean water protections from mine tailings. Any group that can politicize octogenarians is really cutting edge.
Everything Ryan manages to push through has to not impact the base or the swing voter until after the mid-terms. And he has to find a way to blame the Democrats for failure when the GOP holds the House, the Senate, the WH, soon the Court, and most of the States.
So disarray is the outcome. But they will push through the ACA repeal - the Koch brothers are getting antsy - and if the fallout is immediate, there will be a huge mess to clean up.
I have to congratulate the GOP, though. They have managed to radicalize my 80+ year old mother, most recently outraged by the reversal of the clean water protections from mine tailings. Any group that can politicize octogenarians is really cutting edge.
1804
Not only your 80+ mother is radicalized. People I know quite well have been very quiet during every election since 2002. No more. A lot of people feel that our very county is at risk.
1
My mother (in South Carolina) is 96 and half the time doesn't even know what day it is. But when I bring up Trump, she becomes alert and opinionated--there's nobody else at the assisted-living home she can talk to about the news. Every time I call her, we talk about Trump now instead of the weather and the relatives. One thing about Trump--he's brought my mother back to the real world, at least temporarily.
1
I'm only a septuagenarian, but I feel pretty radicalized myself. You don't lose your mind just because you are getting on in years.
I plan to be more active politically. Already I am writing my Congressman to let him know I'm watching. I will be giving money to my local Democratic committee. We got into this fix because the Tea Party stirred grassroots involvement. Now, it's our turn.
I plan to be more active politically. Already I am writing my Congressman to let him know I'm watching. I will be giving money to my local Democratic committee. We got into this fix because the Tea Party stirred grassroots involvement. Now, it's our turn.
1
it will be a lot harder for the dog to bark with the car in it's mouth. good job gopers
13
I think the nomination of Tom Price gave us all the information we need about the current Congress. He introduced legislation based upon his personal investments, not the needs of his district or America. You can only assume the new healthcare legislation he is crafting will also be based upon what stocks he owns, not improving healthcare .
51
"Malevolence tempered with incompetence:" we should be happy they are not effective in realizing their goals
13
Resentment is not an effective or sustainable governing philosophy.
13
I also find this whole situation to be very funny. The GOP spent the last 7 years vetoing to repeal the ACA. All the good old boys stood by their pickups talking about how President Obama lied, they lost their plans, doctors etc and should not be forced to have health care in the first place. While this was going on their new leader spent his time talking about how he has secret info that President Obama was not born in the US. Now that they are in charge of everything all they can talk about is their secret info that Obama tapped their phone, they have a secret health plan, a secret plan to defeat ISIS, secret tax returns. VERY SAD!!!
33
Treating Trump and the Republicans with scorn and as the enemy is irresponsible. It does satisfy the fighting instinct and it results in self-satisfaction. But it ignores the very fact that Krugman emphasizes here -- that the Republicans are undecided on most of their legislative program. With regard to deportation, numerous policies have been floated, some more humane than others. With regard to health care, there is Republican concern over how many are insured. With regard to Muslim refugees, a more moderate proposal has been floated. And most important, with regard to entitlements, there is a possibility that no changes will be made.
You can cater to your sense of outrage, or you can float ideas that might benefit the Democrat's constituency. What it comes down to is whether you want to feed your ego or whether you want to do what you can for all those folks you purport to represent.
You can cater to your sense of outrage, or you can float ideas that might benefit the Democrat's constituency. What it comes down to is whether you want to feed your ego or whether you want to do what you can for all those folks you purport to represent.
2
We should start referring to their health care plan as GOPdoesn'tCare.
17
Excellent! From Obamacare to don't care.
1
We can still hope that the death spiral of Obamacare is slower than the death spiral of the Trump administration. It's hard to keep up with that.
2
I guess we can now fully believe stories about Trump not paying his contractors, etc.
If they dared contradict him, even to make his buildings better or benefit, but if not Trump's idea, they'd get fired and not paid. And sued.
Kind of like Trump's stance on the American people. But oh, so many of us he has to fire. He'll just take our education away, our healthcare away, and all the health and environmental regulations and safety protections will vanish.
His way to get even with us for voting for Hillary.
If they dared contradict him, even to make his buildings better or benefit, but if not Trump's idea, they'd get fired and not paid. And sued.
Kind of like Trump's stance on the American people. But oh, so many of us he has to fire. He'll just take our education away, our healthcare away, and all the health and environmental regulations and safety protections will vanish.
His way to get even with us for voting for Hillary.
18
As it turns out, winning elections is way more fun than governing.
747
Amen brother, Amen !!!
Yes, and who knew how complicated it would be?!
1
So what you are saying is that it is not only the emperor who has no clothes, but his retainers too.
7
Those with half a brain knew that the modern GOP (since about 1965) was mostly all blow no show and since this pack of mangy dogs moved into the kennel in 2010 leave out the mostly. Vote 50 times to repeal and surely you would have a viable replacement. Guess not. Course when your constituents hate Obamacare but love the ACA you don't have to do to much given your tribe is definitely not the sharpest tools in the shed. So the rest of us sit and watch the medicine show cruise into town, hocking swill and telling us how it cures all, but is really just poison.
18
I wish voters would just look at Kansas and see how bad things can get when the GOP pulls the rug out from ordinary people in support of the rich GOP backers. The GOP economic system is not a series system. It is a joke.
30
We get what we deserve. One can only hope this motivates voters to alter their habits.
3
3 key sources of the dysfunction, comment also for Mar.3:
1. The vast increase in lying by the conservative side of the political spectrum, the Republicans.
2. Extremism. Republicans have shifted far to the right wing extreme. Dems have become the party of the political center. 1960s GOP would feel at home in today’s Democratic Party. Dems increased deregulation, beginning with Carter, but usually to a moderate degree. Obamacare is politically about where Nixon was.
There is a long list of issues that had bipartisan support: Preserving the basic safety net such as social security and Medicare (not privatizing, thus destroying the insurance function); continued support for public schools; recognizing the need to protect the health of the environment; strong bipartisan support for the Voting Rights Act, campaign finance rules and, again, environmental law. These past areas of long, bipartisan cooperation were trashed to today’s GOP. The GOP long ago ceased to be the Party of Lincoln.
3. The vast increase in lying on the political right has been enabled, promoted, and accelerated over the past generation by Rupert Murdoch, Fox ‘News’, and conservative talk. Notice that Fox ‘News’ will spend a day occasionally addressing an issue. Numerous staff & guests will speak on it. EVERY ONE will vigorously promote the conservative side of that issue. Thus, NO REAL DISCUSSION takes place. False facts, false history, misrepresentation of the rest of social science will GO UNCHALLENGED.
1. The vast increase in lying by the conservative side of the political spectrum, the Republicans.
2. Extremism. Republicans have shifted far to the right wing extreme. Dems have become the party of the political center. 1960s GOP would feel at home in today’s Democratic Party. Dems increased deregulation, beginning with Carter, but usually to a moderate degree. Obamacare is politically about where Nixon was.
There is a long list of issues that had bipartisan support: Preserving the basic safety net such as social security and Medicare (not privatizing, thus destroying the insurance function); continued support for public schools; recognizing the need to protect the health of the environment; strong bipartisan support for the Voting Rights Act, campaign finance rules and, again, environmental law. These past areas of long, bipartisan cooperation were trashed to today’s GOP. The GOP long ago ceased to be the Party of Lincoln.
3. The vast increase in lying on the political right has been enabled, promoted, and accelerated over the past generation by Rupert Murdoch, Fox ‘News’, and conservative talk. Notice that Fox ‘News’ will spend a day occasionally addressing an issue. Numerous staff & guests will speak on it. EVERY ONE will vigorously promote the conservative side of that issue. Thus, NO REAL DISCUSSION takes place. False facts, false history, misrepresentation of the rest of social science will GO UNCHALLENGED.
12
Simply put, it is Rupert Murdoch and the conservative media that allow Trump and other Republicans to lie routinely. They endorse and amplify the falsehoods.
Cowardly MSM ran to the sidelines. MSM serve as platforms for advertisers, and no longer do much journalism. They do he-said-she-said. MSM serve their Wall Street owners who do not want real issues to disturb their customers. Wall Street only wants to fleece the American people like lambs.
Key issue 4:
The disasters in foreign policy have been by conservatives. Ending the Cold War was a bipartisan success. Gerald Ford objected that Reagan took too much credit for it. But the package of economic reforms in place by 1/93, that bankrupt Russia had to accept, was a disaster that accounts for Putin’s anger and opposition today.
Conservatives opposed the 3 policies that allowed us to win the Cold War: maintaining communication via UN membership, the Marshall Plan, and containment rather than escalation.
Eisenhower lied his way into the White House by claiming he had an alternative to Truman’s foreign policy. He didn’t. A democratic government in Iran was modeling itself after the West and offering oil companies a fair deal. Big Oil wanted it all, and wanted Mosaddegh overthrown. Truman rightly refused. Eisenhower allowed the Dulles/CIA coup, which began the mid-East violent militias, which took over Iran and are our main threat today.
The Bush/Cheney admin. was the greatest foreign policy disaster in American history.
Cowardly MSM ran to the sidelines. MSM serve as platforms for advertisers, and no longer do much journalism. They do he-said-she-said. MSM serve their Wall Street owners who do not want real issues to disturb their customers. Wall Street only wants to fleece the American people like lambs.
Key issue 4:
The disasters in foreign policy have been by conservatives. Ending the Cold War was a bipartisan success. Gerald Ford objected that Reagan took too much credit for it. But the package of economic reforms in place by 1/93, that bankrupt Russia had to accept, was a disaster that accounts for Putin’s anger and opposition today.
Conservatives opposed the 3 policies that allowed us to win the Cold War: maintaining communication via UN membership, the Marshall Plan, and containment rather than escalation.
Eisenhower lied his way into the White House by claiming he had an alternative to Truman’s foreign policy. He didn’t. A democratic government in Iran was modeling itself after the West and offering oil companies a fair deal. Big Oil wanted it all, and wanted Mosaddegh overthrown. Truman rightly refused. Eisenhower allowed the Dulles/CIA coup, which began the mid-East violent militias, which took over Iran and are our main threat today.
The Bush/Cheney admin. was the greatest foreign policy disaster in American history.
13
Regarding deregulation, the 1800s was a Wild West with little regulation: crashes and panics every 20 years, gilded age inequality, monopolies, pollution, corruption. FDR brought stable growth. Reagan’s excess deregulation returned us to a series of crises: S&Ls, bank and accounting scandals, and on.
Trump is wrong that we need more. Wall Street and the financial services industry have been hugely profitable, which shows we do not have an excess of regulation.
Since Reagan, the middle class has stagnated. Most new income and assets have gone to the top. We had trickle up, not trickle down.
The ’08 crash was caused by excess deregulation. It was caused by deal making between the insiders on Wall Street, their lobbyists and lawyers in DC, and the rest of DC. They are leeches. Consumers are being ripped off, like Trump ripped off his contractors.
In the 1990s Clinton and his SEC Chair, Arthur Levitt, attempted more regulation and enforcement by the SEC. Levitt repeatedly claimed that they were blocked by Republicans in Congress. Due to the prosperity during his term, and due to pressures from Wall Street, Clinton agree to some deregulation by ending Glass-Steagall. He could not know that Bush/Cheney would create an orgy of excess deregulation. Under Bush, Levitt continued to warn about the excess of deregulation and the lack of enforcement. Bush blocked states from regulating the subprimes, on the claim of federal pre-emption. That excess deregulation led to the ’08 crash.
Trump is wrong that we need more. Wall Street and the financial services industry have been hugely profitable, which shows we do not have an excess of regulation.
Since Reagan, the middle class has stagnated. Most new income and assets have gone to the top. We had trickle up, not trickle down.
The ’08 crash was caused by excess deregulation. It was caused by deal making between the insiders on Wall Street, their lobbyists and lawyers in DC, and the rest of DC. They are leeches. Consumers are being ripped off, like Trump ripped off his contractors.
In the 1990s Clinton and his SEC Chair, Arthur Levitt, attempted more regulation and enforcement by the SEC. Levitt repeatedly claimed that they were blocked by Republicans in Congress. Due to the prosperity during his term, and due to pressures from Wall Street, Clinton agree to some deregulation by ending Glass-Steagall. He could not know that Bush/Cheney would create an orgy of excess deregulation. Under Bush, Levitt continued to warn about the excess of deregulation and the lack of enforcement. Bush blocked states from regulating the subprimes, on the claim of federal pre-emption. That excess deregulation led to the ’08 crash.
6
The reactionary Grand Old Pirates have never had a guiding principle. They are only interested in wealth & power. And the country not at all. Now that they are in a position to run the country they are having to show what they really want and are desperately having to tart their proposals up in an attempt to fool the public.
It will be good to have them come out from behind the hypocrisy and code words and actually show their hand. All the better to beat them in 2018 with their own words and deeds. Resist.
It will be good to have them come out from behind the hypocrisy and code words and actually show their hand. All the better to beat them in 2018 with their own words and deeds. Resist.
6
We're all dancing around the elephant in the room. Trump need to go. It's as simple as that.
7
The picture says it all: while McConnell and Ryan are smirking in the most asidious way, either still in disbelieve of the stupidity that they just heard, or to save their own skins a months down the road to say they knew he was unfit and they only played along, while the mentally challenged is sitting stern facing in their midst.
As much as T. is truly delusional in believing he is cesar (because he ordered perhaps a cesar's salad), it's their smiles which indicate their knowing complicity to this charade of hitherto unknown idiotic proportions. They are worthy of being tared and feathered for their crime to have the country suffer this absurdity.
As much as T. is truly delusional in believing he is cesar (because he ordered perhaps a cesar's salad), it's their smiles which indicate their knowing complicity to this charade of hitherto unknown idiotic proportions. They are worthy of being tared and feathered for their crime to have the country suffer this absurdity.
5
The symphony would not hire a music director who hates music.
4
One problem not mentioned is that people do not vote, especially in non Presidential years. We elect important local leaders, like Mayors and School Board members in off years and we elect all Congress Members and about a third of the Senate every 2 years.
3
There is an old saying. Short and sweet: " You get what you pay for," addressing the quality you get for the price you pay for any product or service. Wealthy Republican backers have paid through the nose for these governments we now see. Kansas is a failing "experiment" in the free market. Most of the states are pushing or have passed anti-union laws. Many are now passing laws to prohibit public protest and speech. Our central government is about to rescind a healthcare law that helped 20 million Americans to finally be able to go to see a doctor without going bankrupt.
Wealthy people are paying to build their own kingdom here in America. They no longer just want all the money. They are demanding all the control; all of the justice; all of the freedom. These are frightening times for our grand children.
Wealthy people are paying to build their own kingdom here in America. They no longer just want all the money. They are demanding all the control; all of the justice; all of the freedom. These are frightening times for our grand children.
1378
Its not that the Kingdom makers are putting money aside for power, its that power is the way to glean more money. With power they can attack the workers wages. With power they can control their tax burden. And with power they can have laws written to make it a crime to complain about what they do.
3
Unfortunately I have some of the same concerns you bring up. We need to make sure everyone has what they need to vote, where ever they live so that this democracy can survive.
1
PS: Sounds just like Putin's Russia, no?
Vote Republican if you want to be sold into indenture to rentiers.
7
I love this picture. The dour, yet clueless, imbecile in the middle (probably thinking at the moment the shutter snapped that he's in over his head) surrounded by the two people who will manipulate him to implement the GOPs agenda. Just look at the smugness on the faces of the congressional leaders. (Well, as much as that soul-less McConnell can muster towards smug.)
6
Remember back before the election when everyone thought the Republican party was in crisis and thrashing chaotically?
They were right. Winning did and does not change that.
They were right. Winning did and does not change that.
3
The two signature items on the GOP's agenda were repealing Obamacare and reforming the corporate tax structure. But they haven't done anything as yet, not even floated an idea, or even a kernel of an idea. Do you know why? Because, as our resident expert has said, "Nobody knew it was this complicated."
WOW! American exceptionalism on display.
WOW! American exceptionalism on display.
811
I think the main reason is that, like many of us, they never expected that Trump would really win the election. They were expecting to continue in their role as the opposition party. They got caught flat-footed and unprepared.
1
This guy is Captain Queeg of Caine Mutiny fame without the steel balls rolling around in the palm of his hand. I expect that's the next sight we'll be seeing. Totally paranoid. Unable to admit mistakes. Looking for the missing (votes) strawberries. Never wrong, always right. Blaming others for his mistakes. It's eerie its scary, its pathetic.
7
Okay, not the deepest comment.
But who immediately thought "the Three Stooges" on seeing the photo attached to the article?
But who immediately thought "the Three Stooges" on seeing the photo attached to the article?
13
That's Entertainment!
1
I'm looking forward to all the Republican stammering this morning after this weekends tweet storm. What has to happen before Congressional Republicans take a stand? The "Blame Obama for everything" strategy is getting a little thin.
4
Excellent and timely. The former GOP has been committing hara-kari for some years, even decades, now, with Trump as the knife and Ryan, McConnell & Co. as the complicit shoguns.
2
We're watching what happens to a nation when it elects a mentally ill person to rule it. And it's not a pretty sight.
6
In order to defeat Trump, we must create and test theories. My theory is that Trump does not care about governing except as one of many tools to manipulate media and masses in order to accumulate personal power and wealth.
If my theory is right, then a lot of things make sense: perceived missteps that enhance his image with his supporters, obsession about size and visuals, fluctuating demeanor and policies, tweeting habits, fervid followers, and more. In future if I am right, then Trump will not care what happens to the country and there is much to fear. Best case scenario is he loses the presidency and the pendulum swings back toward decency and respect for institutions; in that case, he may monetize his massive follower-ship but hopefully the country recovers.
Trump supporters know that he is not stupid. Until we acknowledge that point and understand his motives, he will continue to win.
If my theory is right, then a lot of things make sense: perceived missteps that enhance his image with his supporters, obsession about size and visuals, fluctuating demeanor and policies, tweeting habits, fervid followers, and more. In future if I am right, then Trump will not care what happens to the country and there is much to fear. Best case scenario is he loses the presidency and the pendulum swings back toward decency and respect for institutions; in that case, he may monetize his massive follower-ship but hopefully the country recovers.
Trump supporters know that he is not stupid. Until we acknowledge that point and understand his motives, he will continue to win.
3
I'm trying to stay optimistic. Let's imagine that Hillary had won (as she should have, minus Comey & Putin). Trump would not have gone away quietly, but screamed non-stop about voter fraud for months. Chaffetz would have impeached her on day one. Nothing would get done. Nothing. Then, in November 2018, it is likely that Democrats would have taken another big beating, possibly even giving up a supermajority in the Senate. Hillary would have been forced to tack right if she survived all of the non-scandals.
Compare it to now: America now sees how empty the suits are that the GOP wears. These Republican emperors have no clothes. And the backlash in 2018 and 2020 will be intense. If the Russian scandal turns into Watergate 2.0 (but only bigger and more serious), the Republicans may become further relegated to the status of a regional, white, rural party they've actually been for decades.
Compare it to now: America now sees how empty the suits are that the GOP wears. These Republican emperors have no clothes. And the backlash in 2018 and 2020 will be intense. If the Russian scandal turns into Watergate 2.0 (but only bigger and more serious), the Republicans may become further relegated to the status of a regional, white, rural party they've actually been for decades.
12
I feel like I hear about the inevitable backlash against the Republican Party every time they do something stupid or venal, and it never seems to come to pass. There will be no death of the Republican Party, however deserved it might be. It is the cockroach of politics. Our best hope is that the Democratic Party will find a way to reclaim its role as the party of the people, and find a way to convince the mostly rural, white and poor or middle-class voters who were seduced by Reagan and have been consistently lied to for almost forty years that the Republicans are in fact the party of the rich and will ever be.
5
I completely agree with Dr. Krugman's assessment of the GOP. They have no plan except the complete gutting of government. But you cannot win elections if you run on that platform...
The more I read about the Trump voters, the more I think the elation results pivoted on one factor: abortion. Both parties are equally beholden to lobbyists, both parties are intent on continuing wars, and both parties-- albeit to varying degrees--- are eager to privatize public services in the name of efficiency. The GOP, though, is clearly anti-abortion and the Democratic Party is clearly pro-choice. When the base of the GOP selected Trump over truly God-fearing candidates, I was convinced the truly God-fearing voters would sit out this election. But when evangelicals were persuaded that the GOP's crude and misogynistic candidate would oppose abortion they came out to the polls and voted for him. Their support ultimately put Mr. Trump into the White House.
The more I read about the Trump voters, the more I think the elation results pivoted on one factor: abortion. Both parties are equally beholden to lobbyists, both parties are intent on continuing wars, and both parties-- albeit to varying degrees--- are eager to privatize public services in the name of efficiency. The GOP, though, is clearly anti-abortion and the Democratic Party is clearly pro-choice. When the base of the GOP selected Trump over truly God-fearing candidates, I was convinced the truly God-fearing voters would sit out this election. But when evangelicals were persuaded that the GOP's crude and misogynistic candidate would oppose abortion they came out to the polls and voted for him. Their support ultimately put Mr. Trump into the White House.
409
I agree with everything you say except for one sentence: the GOP is anti-abortion. They are not. They think abortions are OK when a woman is raped or when a woman's life is in danger. They are clearly anti-choice. Only they get to choose when an abortion is warranted-not the woman. The GOP wants us to have choices in healthcare-they get to choose who gets the necessary healthcare, if any.
Putin put trump in the White House.
I agree, but would add that there is also a large portion of the US that is unwilling to vote for a woman for president.
1
More of that "tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive" in Trump's nasty latest tweet blaming Obama for wiretapping Trump Tower before and during the past election. Truly all the Ugly Americans are now in power or soon to be.
3
Moderate Democrats have been compromising with the extreme right New-Southern-Republican-Party since the Reagan era. Now the party born of the rage created by forced desegregation has achieved complete power.
Let them fail, and perhaps this nation can begin another more productive experiment where the politically moderate (as in sane) negotiate with the left, starting with a serious discussion about how to implement single payer health care. Why should the greatest nation on earth settle for the least efficient health care system on the planet- or create something even worse?
The left may be ideological, but they aren't afraid of policy based on data and facts- such as the relative expenditure Canada requires to supply the health needs of their healthier citizens. When Republicans return to sanity and cease to be the comfortable home of closet (at best) racists, and creationist Christians, perhaps they can be allowed back to the table of serious political leadership.
A government that represents a culture where truth and science are the enemy of the people cannot long endure and will fall one way or another.
Let them fail, and perhaps this nation can begin another more productive experiment where the politically moderate (as in sane) negotiate with the left, starting with a serious discussion about how to implement single payer health care. Why should the greatest nation on earth settle for the least efficient health care system on the planet- or create something even worse?
The left may be ideological, but they aren't afraid of policy based on data and facts- such as the relative expenditure Canada requires to supply the health needs of their healthier citizens. When Republicans return to sanity and cease to be the comfortable home of closet (at best) racists, and creationist Christians, perhaps they can be allowed back to the table of serious political leadership.
A government that represents a culture where truth and science are the enemy of the people cannot long endure and will fall one way or another.
1513
They have? There are no longer blue dog Dems because nobody can oppose the progressive radical version of the Dem party. That is why Republicans exist in most of the south. And truth is not that well found here, nor is real science.
1
I am heartened by the way that the Indivisible movement has gotten well over a hundred thousand voters intensely involved. It may well be the beginning of a politics run by the people. And this time around, by people who have learned how to be politically effective, and are willing to run for public office.
I for one sincerely hope you are correct. Thank you for brightening the outlook on the day after a weekend of nigh-existential despair.
Cheers!
Cheers!
I would rather think of this country as misogynistic for irrationally rejecting the far better candidate, than to think of so many of my compatriots as total fools for voting for and defending this one.
8
joymars: Must I remind you, Hillary was NOT rejected. She actually won and should be president, if it were not for some antiquated system called the electoral college. Remember that great body???? Similar to the Democratic super-majority members.
The GOP stole their way to power, with bullies at the local level, gerrymandering and outright pandering to the rich. Trump is the 2nd entertainer president with a TV huckster approach to government. Unfortunately the left is still alienating Trump's base, concentrating on fostering immigration and diversity. The stories of liberals bending over backwards to help undocumented and immigrants has to make Trump's base wonder why no one is helping folks in our heartland without jobs. So we have an impasse, blathering liberals vs the blathering right. Krugman is right about the GOP, it would be great if his clear vision could also focus on the left.
10
Immigrants, legal or illegal, are not stealing jobs. It's a fallacy. As long as that lie is taken as truth, this country's economy will implode. Not soon, but give it a couple of years under this destructive adminustration.
11
"....wonder why no one is helping folks in our heartland without jobs."
Why don't we ask the Republicans who govern and represent those states, especially in the regions with the most unemployment and the worst social problems? Last I noticed, the Democrats would almost universally like to help those folks, while the Republicans have blocked any such actions. Why is it always the fault of Democrats in places like California and New York that people in Indiana, southern Ohio, and West Virginia are struggling?
Why don't we ask the Republicans who govern and represent those states, especially in the regions with the most unemployment and the worst social problems? Last I noticed, the Democrats would almost universally like to help those folks, while the Republicans have blocked any such actions. Why is it always the fault of Democrats in places like California and New York that people in Indiana, southern Ohio, and West Virginia are struggling?
2
Paul Ryan is not an economist and not even an "intellectual", just a shill for trickle down economics which never has worked. When I look at what my husband and my employers have paid for decent health insurance plus what we paid, it seems to me that if we were able to get rid of the middleman insurance companies who make a huge profit and deduct the total cost of buying the same insurance from non profit exchanges or directly pay taxes into a single payer plan then total costs would go down, those who cannot afford insurance could be subsidized instead of already tax-supported medicaid and of course all Americans would be covered. The public option would have forced the for-profit insurance companies to compete which in our red in tooth and claw capitalist system seems to be the only way to bring about decency and humanitarianism to take care of basic human needs.
2222
And economists know something worth while. If they did we would not be in such a slow growth time, nor would we ever have a great recession. And mostly charity and individual work is how to meet basic human needs, try charity for those things you think government should be doing.
The public option would never have passed because the GOP. That is why the Obama PResident compromised. This helped pass the ACA act. Even President Obama and the democratic Senate acknowledged it was not perfect and could use improvement. But this presidency with pressure the Koch brothers ect. wants to get rid of the ACA act period.
3
we are rapidly getting to a point, as a nation, where we cannot afford to support the health insurance companies, and the health care system, at the same time.
1
Of course the GOP is not ready to govern. It was not elected to govern, it was elected to whittle government down to the size of a postage stamp and reduce the amount of taxes paid by Americans to a pittance.
In GOP world, government spending and regulation is Evil; the source of all that is wrong in America. The GOP's mission is not to govern in a different way; it is for the federal government not to govern at all. The GOP would far rather see corporate power rule Amerrica than government.
GOP voters have gotten what they wished for. We will see if they end up being glad that their wishes come true, when clean air and water and pproduct and food safety regulations are gutted, when publicly-run health care, prisons, education, social security, medicare, and medicaid are no more, replaced by corporate programs with only profit as their motive, when what little taxes they do pay go to an already bloated military which will then have to justify such largesse by paricipating in yet more wars. Will they be happy as our infrastructure crumbles even further, when we no longer lead the world in scientifc innovation, when discrimination is the law of the land, back room abortions return and the arts die out from lack of public support?
I guess we'll see.
In GOP world, government spending and regulation is Evil; the source of all that is wrong in America. The GOP's mission is not to govern in a different way; it is for the federal government not to govern at all. The GOP would far rather see corporate power rule Amerrica than government.
GOP voters have gotten what they wished for. We will see if they end up being glad that their wishes come true, when clean air and water and pproduct and food safety regulations are gutted, when publicly-run health care, prisons, education, social security, medicare, and medicaid are no more, replaced by corporate programs with only profit as their motive, when what little taxes they do pay go to an already bloated military which will then have to justify such largesse by paricipating in yet more wars. Will they be happy as our infrastructure crumbles even further, when we no longer lead the world in scientifc innovation, when discrimination is the law of the land, back room abortions return and the arts die out from lack of public support?
I guess we'll see.
135
On the other hand, having leaders in two whole branches of government who don't really think things through gives economists like Dr Krugman and all of us Americans a rather easy target. Maybe the rainbow after this storm will be some sort of governing that brings together good, thoughtful ideas from both progressives and conservatives. The downside might be that the storm will wreck too many lives before it's over. But both outcomes are definite possibilities at this point, I would say.
2
Because the Reeps no longer make sense as a party with the best interests of their country at heart, I have come up with a theory.
In fact, it is an observation of human nature that I made way back when the Berlin Wall fell and the Cold War was officially over. We no longer had an external enemy, and so I reckoned we would fall back and start fighting amongst ourselves. Reagan Republicanism was poised to go from hatred of government to hatred of the state itself. That is what we have had for decades at the hands of the Republican Party. That is why we are so divided. This is why we've had 27 years of culture war in the U.S. Think about it; our political polarization started with the Clinton administration. That was the one right after the Cold War ended.
9-11 handed us an external enemy, but it just wasn't a nation state. We became even more confused.
The difference between the two parties is that the Reeps declare a moral position, but abandon it when it no longer serves their scullduggery for power. The Dems declare a moral commitment but lose to Reep sculduggery. How will this war end?
Not well.
In fact, it is an observation of human nature that I made way back when the Berlin Wall fell and the Cold War was officially over. We no longer had an external enemy, and so I reckoned we would fall back and start fighting amongst ourselves. Reagan Republicanism was poised to go from hatred of government to hatred of the state itself. That is what we have had for decades at the hands of the Republican Party. That is why we are so divided. This is why we've had 27 years of culture war in the U.S. Think about it; our political polarization started with the Clinton administration. That was the one right after the Cold War ended.
9-11 handed us an external enemy, but it just wasn't a nation state. We became even more confused.
The difference between the two parties is that the Reeps declare a moral position, but abandon it when it no longer serves their scullduggery for power. The Dems declare a moral commitment but lose to Reep sculduggery. How will this war end?
Not well.
10
Precisely, one cannot govern from slogans, populist slogans least of all.
The magic asterisks are coming home to roost.
The magic asterisks are coming home to roost.
10
It's not all that complicated. There are enough dumb people in America to make the margin of victory for any party that is craven and dishonest enough to pander to them, and to elect anyone, no matter how abominable, who simply gets everybody's undivided attention and then confuses them with bamboozle. Sad, truly sad.
22
It would make sense to have targets for how we preferred for the national income to be shared, and structure legislation so that it nudged us towards those targets. Instead we leave the national income to be distributed by the Invisible Hand of the marketplace and pass various programs to clean up or at least hide the resulting problems. We do this because we do not want social planning.
But any regulations or programs that give McDonald or Wal-mart or Home Depot or Staples and other large chains tax advantages over individual stores, are social planning, but disguised and thereby dishonest. We can encourage individual initiative and creativity by giving it places to exist, or encourage the proliferation of jobs that consist in carrying out the plans of others.
Republicans try to pander to small business owners and talk their talk, but it is the big business owners who call the shots.
But any regulations or programs that give McDonald or Wal-mart or Home Depot or Staples and other large chains tax advantages over individual stores, are social planning, but disguised and thereby dishonest. We can encourage individual initiative and creativity by giving it places to exist, or encourage the proliferation of jobs that consist in carrying out the plans of others.
Republicans try to pander to small business owners and talk their talk, but it is the big business owners who call the shots.
18
What a conundrum for McConnell and Ryan. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place. They technically have the White House, but is occupied by a morally and intellectually compromised lunatic who is too often out of control. You can almost hear the clock ticking on this presidency as long as he tweets his insane rants. How can you have an agenda with a guy who has no clue what being president means and cannot be a team player?
The ACA issue requires more care for the reasons outlined by Prof. Krugman. Now that they have a horribly distracted president, they seem like deer in the headlight. A president Pence may be more their speed. How do you get anything done of substance when the lunatic is the issue and not the agenda? Trump is bad PR and as an electorally minority party they don't need a highly toxic messenger. The right and their benefactors courted this lunacy. As a Democrat, this would be highly entertaining if the stakes weren't so horribly high. If those on the right were only ones paying the price it would be more acceptable.
The ACA issue requires more care for the reasons outlined by Prof. Krugman. Now that they have a horribly distracted president, they seem like deer in the headlight. A president Pence may be more their speed. How do you get anything done of substance when the lunatic is the issue and not the agenda? Trump is bad PR and as an electorally minority party they don't need a highly toxic messenger. The right and their benefactors courted this lunacy. As a Democrat, this would be highly entertaining if the stakes weren't so horribly high. If those on the right were only ones paying the price it would be more acceptable.
8
Tom: "They technically have the White House". They would still have the White House if they decided to impeach trump. Pence (although truly dangerous as well) would become the "responsible" president, one the GOP could really support. Be careful what you wish for.
2
For all the absence of specifics in a Republican healthcare plan, I have one, just one, question with follow-ups.
What are people without access to employer health insurance plans going to do?
Are they supposed to wait for their tax credits to be realized in order to buy insurance?
And, if the pre-existing condition exclusion comes back, where is the joy of being a cancer survivor with some other chronic condition?
I have to say that I chuckle at my mental visual of trying to pay my doctors with vouchers! I see myself with a wad of paper trying to convince the office personnel that it's "just like cash" only to be asked for my debit card! You can't pay staff with vouchers and the doctors can't pay their mortgages with them either. The adjudication and payment system to convert vouchers to currency is likely more wasteful and vulnerable to fraud than the current insurance system.
It's all a House of Cards, starring Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell.
What are people without access to employer health insurance plans going to do?
Are they supposed to wait for their tax credits to be realized in order to buy insurance?
And, if the pre-existing condition exclusion comes back, where is the joy of being a cancer survivor with some other chronic condition?
I have to say that I chuckle at my mental visual of trying to pay my doctors with vouchers! I see myself with a wad of paper trying to convince the office personnel that it's "just like cash" only to be asked for my debit card! You can't pay staff with vouchers and the doctors can't pay their mortgages with them either. The adjudication and payment system to convert vouchers to currency is likely more wasteful and vulnerable to fraud than the current insurance system.
It's all a House of Cards, starring Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell.
58
Republicans suffer from two problems. The first applies to members of both parties - where as legislators climb the ladder from local to statewide to national, they become less and less honest (in terms of policy). The second is that Republicans have yet to accept the tax cuts do not create prosperity. It was fine for Reagan to propose such an experiment, but the experiment failed.
If they can admit the truth about taxes, we have a chance.
If they can admit the truth about taxes, we have a chance.
15
To wit: Kansas.
Never gonna happen.
Spot on analysis< Dr. Krugman, of the GOP's inability to focus on anything other than smoke & mirrors subterfuge & how to deregulate institutions designed to protect ordinary citizens from Corporate greed & harm in the process. What is blatantly clear now is that every member of the GOP is in power to assist Corporations to become wealthier regardless of consequences & protect the assets & wealth accumulation of their wealthy constituents. Even so-called rebels like John McCain, Lindsay Graham, Marco Rubio, etc. only make of point of grandstanding against the President without any action of substance to follow up their protests. In fact, Lindsay Graham showed his true colors in front of the town hall meeting when he doubled down on the repeal & replace of Obamacare in exchange for tax deductions which will only benefit the wealthy GOP donor classes to the tune of approx. $49,370 each & repeal of the 3.8% net investment tax on income generated from investments which, again, benefits the top 1% of the citizenry the most. This defunding of the ACA mandates leaves the government with no alternative other than to take away subsidies for the working class, unemployed, disabled or financially burdened by high medical bills folks, while at the same time, absurdly giving away tax breaks to the wealthy. Also, Lindsay Graham made a point of supporting Trump by saying he was going to "get to the bottom of it" regarding Trump's twitter claim, which just shows what a phony he is.
37
It's not a pretty sight and it saddens me that the folks who need help will once again end up on the short end of the stick. What's wrong with providing healthcare to citizens. In the richest Country in the world we treat too many citizens with disdain. We are solving a math problem, expenses exceed revenue by changing the social contract we have historically pursued. Eventually this will end bad for everyone as it causes divisiveness and it will eventually cause unrest as those who want to be treated with dignity are being treated as parasites. Someone's wealth does not define their character and the sooner we learn that lesson the better we will be as a Country.
26
How did America get to Donald Trump? The news media, often led by the NYT, spent over a year proclaiming that "both parties and both presidential candidates are the same."
That's why Hillary Clinton was LESS trusted than Donald Trump by election day. It's hard to read today's lamentations at the Times with that in mind.
That's why Hillary Clinton was LESS trusted than Donald Trump by election day. It's hard to read today's lamentations at the Times with that in mind.
38
Dr. Krugman was always a supporter of Mrs. Clinton whatever you might have read on the Home Page of the New York Times, which favored sensationalism over sensibility more often than was appropriate. I fault the 24-hour news cycle that makes reporters and their editors more reactive and less thoughtful. Overall though the New York Times was backing Mrs. Clinton early and often.
3
Kirk, There were some columnists, like Krugman who did worn us.
5
I'm a voracious reader of the NYT and I can't remember one instance where the NYT proclaimed that both parties and candidates are the same. To the contrary, the Times was usually accused of being in the tank for Hillary.
You may be confusing the editorial content of the paper with the comment sections.
You may be confusing the editorial content of the paper with the comment sections.
4
Trump is not fit to run a taco stand, never mind the US government. The country has to begin to realize that this was a Yuuge mistake and remover this nincompoop - now.
40
Trump Tacos: a big wall, and e. Coli our " special " sauce.
You may not realize it all the way in Switzerland....but Trump is very, very popular amongst his supporters.
And even if he was not...it doesn't matter. He won. He will serve at least a four year term. Then, if he is NOT popular and has NO support....he will be replaced by another President.
That is how our system works.
And even if he was not...it doesn't matter. He won. He will serve at least a four year term. Then, if he is NOT popular and has NO support....he will be replaced by another President.
That is how our system works.
The GOP's economic plan: Hidden Figures
(w/apologies to the fine film)
(w/apologies to the fine film)
13
I'd be willing to bet that one reason for the "delay" in implementing their "plan" is they are waiting for the Heritage Foundation to put out a "study" showing that the GOPs plan will be the next best thing since sliced bread. But it will be nothing but window-dressing, or more like lipstick on a pig. And, yes, Krugman's right: This plan will be shoved down the throats of the American People.
3
Before we can talk about corporate taxes trump must show his tax returns.
Before we can talk about the ACA we must press for a complete and independent investigation into trump's ties to Russia.
First IMPEACH TRUMP then get rid of those spineless, morally bankrupt, sycophants Mitchell and Ryan. Disgusting shameless and disgraceful people who don't deserve to live in this republic, let alone destroy it in a fake attempt to govern it.
Before we can talk about the ACA we must press for a complete and independent investigation into trump's ties to Russia.
First IMPEACH TRUMP then get rid of those spineless, morally bankrupt, sycophants Mitchell and Ryan. Disgusting shameless and disgraceful people who don't deserve to live in this republic, let alone destroy it in a fake attempt to govern it.
236
The one comfort this whole circus gives me is that it really is vindication of a lot of Democrats, and especially President Obama, for the Republicans to be exposed as utter incompetents and liars. All that yelling and foot-stomping and tantrum-throwing and budget drama has been revealed as pure hypocritical bluster. Unfortunately a lot of innocent and and chronically ill people will pay the price for their childishness; but the small silver lining is that hopefully, once the GOP has truly destroyed itself, the Democrats and centrists will win big in 2018 and we can get some order back. Until then, the people (who are thankfully now engaged in their government again) will have to act as the veto on Republican recklessness and pressure their reps into sanity.
33