There are only 3 things the Trump administration cares about:
1. Plunder--how to use their control of government to enrich themselves.
2. Ego gratification. Constant attention at all times. All actions and activities must make the leader look good (See Fox Spews).
3. Sadistic cruelty to those who are perceived to be unable to fight back. Especially those who can be characterized as "other" for the enjoyment and loyalty of the collection of sadists known as Megachurch (including Catholic) members, women (of reproductive age) haters, and those who would like to believe that their racial background makes them special and worthy of great deference despite little in their own life accomplishments to justify that deference.
The first two satisfy their own needs, and the third also gets votes.
33
The Trump administration is enabled by a Republican Senate, many of whom have taken the "Grover Norquist Tax Pledge" .
Norquist's view of government is to"shrink it until it can be drowned in the bathtub" (does he have children?...they should run!!).
So it is not ironic that they are so bad at governing.
They oppose government because it stifles the ambitions of
today's robber barons.
And they believe government assistance in any form just helps lazy losers.
18
When all is said and done and this thing called Donald Trump is finally diagnosed I think it will be found that he was under the control someone who wished this nation no good. Trumps utter destructive bent on all that was good and right about our nation has been relentlessly attacked by this man.
13
Trashing Trump is getting to be a tired old exercise. The horse is dead and decomposing. We need to turn our attention to the 40-odd percent of voters who couldn't be bothered to exercise their franchise in 2016. They gave us Trump, who was a fool before and after the election. They are to blame and no one else.
18
In general, I'm fully with you. But not on this one: "Compared with the Trump era, the Nixon administration was a paragon of good government."
No. Even in comparison with Trump, Nixon's still a loser: paranoid capital P, selfish, rapacious, hateful..a liar. Jill Lapore says it best in "These Truths": Nixon "counted his resentments like other men counted their conquests."
Nixon had Mitchell to Trump's Barr (and Sessions), Haldeman to Mnuchin, Agnew to Pence, on & on.
1
I never favored impeachment. But then again, I never favored yelling at my kids.
Unfortunately, sometimes, you have to raise your voice to get attention.
Nancy Pelosi is smart. She’s raising her voice this time to call attention to the fact that the President is a corrupt mobster, who will sacrifice our national security and the security of our allies for his personal desire to remain in power. (Irrelevant aside: it may well be that Trump would prefer his old life living in New York to being president, but it’s pretty clear he’s heading to prison shortly after he leaves the White House, so a second term is appealing to him.)
Every working class white guy who has ever watched a mobster movie will instantly get what Trump has been doing here: “Nice country you got. It would be a shame if my buddy Putin trashed it just because you couldn’t cough up some dirt in the Bidens. Have a nice day!”
11
If the markets shrugged, it means there is nothing there.
This is “NothingBurger 2.0”.
18
Great column, Paul.
3
Mr. Krugman, why is this article not seen by the American public.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/26/how-ukraine-sees-the-trump-whistleblower-complaint
1
hear! hear! paul.
1
Censure, rather than impeach.
Suggested by William Galston in yesterdays WSJ.
1
This is the reasoning, and these are the times, that give cynicism a good name.
And impeaching Mike Pence along with Donald will be even better. Welcome Madam President Pelosi.
7
It’s not treason, it’s patriotism! Lock him up!
9
Yes.
Thank you Paul for always bringing the bottom out of every opinion piece you write.
Nothing like being a professional opinionist.
What would the New York Times write without them?
1
impeachment will be good for the country.
Godot will arrive before Barr does the right thing.
this adininstration is corrupt and lawless
4
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah....
1
Love you Paul Krugman!!!!!!!
Donald Trump and crew, for whatever reasons, are bound and determined to break America. Like Sherman, they are pulling the tracks up behind them, a Trumpian scorched earth policy. The kind of damage this band of malicious players has done and continues to do will take more than 100 days for the next president to sort out. There are whole sections of civil service that will take years to rebuild, some gone, irreplaceable, lost to the fritterings of self absorbed fools.
16
Impeachment Don Trump is good for the world.
12
It may be good for your economy, but it will most certainly be bad for the health of many.
You American fools! You're playing with fire, and yet you entertain yourselves with the notion that somehow this process will be good for the economy?!
Trump is an immoral man, an incompetent leader and a liar of epic proportions. However, the way to rid your White House of him is not via impeachment, especially under the current fuzzy Ukraine scenario.
The ballot box is where this battle needs to take place.
By taking it out of the hands of the American public and into the hands of rich sheltered elites sitting in Congress, the Democrats have put the nation on a knife's edge. And most certainly Trump will plunge the country into the abyss, should the proceed.
Nothing less than serious civil conflict is what is at stake.
So you can believe all you want that Trump's impeachment will be good for the economy. But, instead of being smug about it, you should worry about the demons you've unleashed.
5
Good tongue in cheek piece. The Executive Branch sets the agenda. This one has set an agenda of stupidity and recklessness. When it's over it will be remembered as the ship of fools. Those who were willing to carry water will be made fun of and snickered at. (except at trash tv like fox or tabloid trash like the WSJ) I just hope it ends sooner than later.
3
Brilliant, Paul. Thanks once again.
If subscribers want to read more about all this I urge you to get your hands on a copy of Michael Lewis’ “The Fifth Risk”.
(Lewis wrote “The Big Short”.)
4
I spekalate impeachment could get in the way of the spending bill due out next month
Impeachment along with removal will be a big boost to the economy because so many of us will no longer waste time reading/watching the buffoon in chief.
3
Thank you for another great column! Trump is a tragedy for our nation and those who serve as government staffers have born his ignorance and ineptitude.
1
Interesting take.
Impeaching and disbarring Barr will be good for our trust in our institutions.
5
Impeaching Donald Trump is good for the soul!
4
As scary as this all is right now I can think of three words I fear even more... Lame Duck Trump. Unhinged now? Just wait.
3
Dr. Paul, "how Trump can NOT be impeached?" From your brilliant brain and lips to God's good sweet ear!
1
Maybe Trump thinks we have no choice but to vote for him. There are more than a few of us who disagree. In fact, the popular vote in 2016 proves him wrong. He did not win the hearts and minds of Americans. He won enough to win the necessary Electoral Votes and that's it.
Trump has no agenda but his personal enrichment and using his Twitter account at least once a day. In fact, if he didn't use it at least once a day we might have to wonder if he's gone AWOL. It might benefit the country if he did go AWOL because we might be able to have something accomplished other than the debunking of his "statements".
I miss Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and their two daughters. I miss the lack of drama. I miss the man who treated us like adults even when we didn't deserve it. I miss the First Lady who planted a healthy garden at the White House and tried to get children to exercise. I miss the man who let a small child feel his hair to see what it felt like. I miss the president who let us see his emotions after the murders of 20 first graders and 6 adults in Newtown CT.
Impeachment will do one thing that we need: it will put important information in the public record about how corrupt this man and his administration is. We need to know that. And then we need to vote smarter.
9/26/2019 7:20pm first submit
10:16pm second submit
9
Just like electing him was going to plunge America into a recession from which "We will never recover" right, Paul?
We all remember your lunatic ravings on election night.
And those of us who have worked hard to responsibly care for and educate children and to plan for a self-sufficient retirement are all too away of how ridiculous your forecast turned out to be.
You have zero credibility when it comes to Trump. To be blunt, it isn't even clear you attempt to be fair -- you are a political activist, not an economist.
I'll be interested to see if this comment gets posted.
3
Indeed! Getting the mafia out of US government is good for business.
5
Anything that keeps Trump's little hands out of governing is good. Impeachment, golf....
3
You are right and Brooks is wrong!
5
Impeaching Trump will be good for the mental health of many. Maybe I can reduce my mg of Zoloft.
3
“But here’s the thing: An impeachment inquiry will surely have a chilling effect on the Trumpian project of government degradation. It may not come to a dead halt, but Trump’s team of cronies will be distracted; they will be less brazen; they will be worrying about more potential whistle-blowers going public about what they’re doing.”
Tell that to Dean Baquet.
1
Trump has just accelerated the GOP's decades-long war on competent government, characterized by underfunding its various functions to points of failure, then saying, "See, 'good government' is an oxymoron."
Somehow I felt Trump deserves some credit for the rise of stock market in the past 3 years and the low unemployment rate.
That is what he wanted and he delivered. You didn't convince me your point, professor. Maybe your dislike of DT clouds your judgement?
1
Like many Americns-the board confusesor conflates the impeachment investigation with conviction. In no manner does mee impeachment of a President mean he is somehow found guilty. Recall both ANdrew Johnson and Bill CLinton were "impeached", for vastly different offenses, and neither was convicted, neither was removed from office as a result. Clinton was probably aided by the lunatic attacks of the one-issue GOP-which, because they ignored all else, probably smoothed the way for the terrorists who attacked us on September 11th, 2001.
Impeachment has proved in the US system to be a waste of time-something designed in the 18th century for the 17th, never useful in any time afterward.
1
If impeachment proceedings slow down Trump's ability to impose new tariffs on countries, disrupt business plans, yes it's good for the economy. It's not good if Trump and the GOP, namely McConnell, are able to get away with governing like dictators in training. If Trump's actions manage to crash the economy every one but he and his cronies will be hurt. He will have succeeded in ruining America far more than he ever intended to. Of course that might force the people who voted for him to reconsider their support for him and the GOP.
1
Dr. K writes, "It may not come to a dead halt, but Trump’s team of cronies will be distracted; they will be less brazen; they will be worrying about more potential whistle-blowers going public about what they’re doing."
Lord but I hope he's right.
1
I think your assessment of "Impeach Trump - Stocks rise" is correct. Yet this assessment fails to identify the key mediators in this relationship:
Impeach Trump -> Democrats fail miserably, pull a repeat of Kavanaugh followed by whining like infants -> Trump carries 48 states in 2020 because democrats don't vote (all but California and NY) -> Republicans re-take congress ->Stocks rise.
What was a correlation is now a structural equation model. But, your prediction seems on the money - why bother with the mediators.
1
Non-implementation of bad policy is a good thing.
1
I do not understand.
We learned that he is the smartest and that he has all the best words; plus he knows more than the generals and was a Wharton honor student, as well as an artful dealer...
Have we all been misled by President Grifter?
I think it might be a little early to make this call. Trump seems to thrive on adversity and only become more combative when he is threatened because so far he has largely been immune to the consequences. With the corrupt Republican party in his pocket and having so much at stake by towing the line to date, I think it's unlikely they'll do their jobs and support conviction because they have too much invested in supporting Trump. My only hope is that enough independent voters and suburban Republicans will be disgusted by this ongoing circus that he will be voted out of office. If Trump beats this rap, he'll be even more self righteous and vindictive.
1
Impeaching Trump, while now inevitable, won't rid of us of monsters like Mitch McConnell and a dysfunctional Congress, but at least it will show the US hasn't gone completely off the rails. But will the Democrats gain from it?
I agree totally. In addition the idea that Trump has been good for the market is not borne out with the last 24 months. Last year the market had a mini-crash for no good reason. This wiped out the 2018 gains and S&P ended the year in negative territory. It is likely to collapse again this year. Trump is terrible for investors despite what the talking heads on CNBC say.
Whether or not impeaching and removing a corrupt chief executive is good for the economy is a fair question. A better question, however, is how can leaving a corrupt, criminal and incompetent chief executive in place be good for the economy? Business in America flourishes because we have a system of laws in place that are enforced fairly and equally. Announcing to the world that we tolerate high corruption will start us on the road to Zimbabwe. (It's a shame Hope and Crosby are gone; what a great musical comedy that would make.) In any event, if you want a healthy economy, you have to start with a competent, honest and law-abiding government.
2
Impeaching Trump is good for the soul.
The fact that it is also good for the economy is gravy.
1
The main risk I see with an impeachment inquiry is Trump’s response. He’s been whacky from the start, and it’s unclear how he’ll respond to an existential threat to his regime.
Nixon became unstable enough that his underlings tried to put limits on his ability to start a nuclear war. And Nixon was sane about war and peace. Trump is an ignoramus who’s entirely driven by ego.
I could see Trump pondering a war with Iran, hoping for a rise in nationalistic and evangelical support. I could see him doubling or tripling down on anti-immigrant policies or support for Israel or against ‘socialists’ in government or on the campaign trail.
For now he seems committed to demonizing everyone behind the whistleblower complaint. Trump and his enablers will do everything possible to identify these people and then go after them. Cyber bullying is a given, but violence, as Trump implied yesterday, is a real threat as understood by his most extreme supporters.
Trump’s responses as the threat to his presidency increases are unpredictable, but it’s likely things will get worse before they get better. Let’s hope he doesn’t decide to burn the house down along the way.
1
"An impeachment inquiry will surely have a chilling effect on the Trumpian project of government degradation."
I don't know that I agree. Trump will tweet in anger and try to hurt anyone he perceives is disloyal. It doesn't take any time or thought to send out a tweet changing government policy. Most Cabinet Secretaries will not be pulled into the impeachment battle and will continue to degrade their departments.
Trump's primary business method is extortion.
The current Ukraine controversy puts it out in the open in a glaring way, yet think about how he's governed domestic and foreign policy throughout his term so far? It's often extortion or has elements of extortion.
That's how mafia bosses operate. Or dictators. Or fascists.
The House must impeach to make a stand against the politics of extortion and make it absolutely clear to Republicans that to support Trump and Trumpism is to support extortion as a means for political ends.
That is against the founding principle of this country.
1
I agree with Professor Krugman's main point that anything resulting in a slow down of the Trump train is good for the country. He believes that "an impeachment inquiry will surely have a chilling effect on the Trumpian project of government degradation. ...Trump’s team of cronies will be distracted; they will be less brazen..." I have yet to see any evidence that when the Trump Admininstration's misguided, corrupt, and/or, criminal behavior is exposed, that exposture results in any moderation of that behavior. In some respects it seems the opposite is true. Revelations of bad behavior seems to egg on Trump and his cronies to do more of the same and worse, perhaps to try to justify past misconduct.
1
I had money in the markets right up until Trump took office. But my holdings aren't large so I wasn't about to risk losing any substantial portion of it to one bankrupt idiot's policy. I don't feel the slightest bit left out for whatever I might have gained in that first year. I'm actually proud of the fact that I didn't gain on the backs of American workers and the deliberate catastrophe of the environment.
But what about after? What are the chances of repairing all this damage without recession? As soon as Dems rightly start restoring order to the systems that cyclone Twittler has literally destroyed, claw back some of the brain trust he has disposed of, I don't see how that won't chill an already tepid economy.
So much of what this administration and the GOP in general is consistent with Steve Bannon's call for 'deconstruction of the administrative state'
President Trump is a carricature of America today.
If we modernize our democracy and its constitution after an impeachment inquiery, it will serve a purpose, otherwise it will be reality TV side show.
Gerrymandering cannot exist in a modern democratic society with state of the art computers.
Large corporations cannot put money into our elections because to a greater or less extent they are global with invesors and facilities all over the world. Every large corporation that Americans think is American can be be easily manipulated by foreign governments.
The President because of his or her power must be elected by the majority of the popular vote over, 50% of the voting Electorate, as many European democracies require.
Nixon was impeached for trying to subvert the Political process by a burglery done in America. He won his second term as President with a majority of the popular vote. Nixon's watergate did not change the result of the election; nor has President Nixon's impeachment resulted in an improvement in the American Political process. It has created instead an impeachment industry where large groups in the losing party have raised the issue of the illegitimacy of the President elect, sex with oval office intern, foreign born presidents, and now a President who asks foreign governments help to be elected. If Global corporations can buy our elections, then foreign governments will buy our elections and cut out the middle men and women in business.
Ben Franklin said that the basic criterion for impeachment should be whether the president has "rendered himself obnoxious."
You think?
1
Markets aren't going down because the smart money knows that the GOP Senate will not convict. Even if they did, Mike Pence will step in, say considerably fewer idiotic things, and continue the corporate agenda. In my opinion, the market reaction won't come until 2020, and will be very sharp and downward if a Democrat wins. This is all fine, since the indexes are at outrageously inflated levels anyway.
Giant corporations like Amazon right now must love being out of the spotlight. All through the political drama they are not paying any income taxes, are extorting prospective warehouse location cities for unbelievable property tax breaks via PILOT programs, where workers are tracked like rats in a maze.
Although it may hurt me personally, it will be long overdue when Elizabeth Warren gets elected and puts her plan into action for Amazon and others. Go ahead and make billions, but you WILL be paying your fair share.
2
It's good to tie up {Republicans} to hold onto the sham leadership rather than implement and perpetrate the lies in their platform.
Hope this goes on for a year.
Businesses may not like regulations but to have a completely unhinged person at the helm is even worse . It is not a matter of policy differences but of self preservation . To live in the times of a new Caligula is not good for anyone on the political spectrum .
1
The defining term for the Trump administration is kakistocracy -- government by the least competent and/or most corrupt. I wish the media would spread the word and its definition much more broadly. KAKISTOCRACY!
Are you kidding me. It might make a lot of people feel good but the economy is cranking compared to other countries... Ridding of "any" President would kill the stock market and put this country into a deep recession. Its called uncertainty. While you hate the guy his economic policies are working for those hard working Americans so your left with impeachment as your last remaining course of action. Nullifying 70m voters should help things along shouldn't it? Then again we can go back to shipping our job to China who steals everything and closes their markets to the US and be done with it. You said the market would tank when Trump was elected, how are we to believe you now?
Ignorance is what allows Trump to survive so he is a big believer in being "uneducated".
While reserving judgement on whether or not you've proven your case, I'd say that if we're going to start making economic arguments for people's incumbency, Mr. Krugman, the NY Times should definitely drop you as a regular contributor.
Strong left bias in reporting and editorial commentary has lost them so many regular readers, including this one. Though I used to read the Times every day, I now just check in once in a while to see if they've come to their senses.
Apparently not.
What's amazing is how much disruption to our government was caused by one election. Putin must (at least figuratively) be turning cartwheels of joy.
This article will be rightfully ignored by everyone who read Krugman's hysterical prediction about what will happen to the stock market if Trump is elected.
I expect as the end nears Trump will deregulate like crazy using executive actions.
Bravo! I was saying to my wife yesterday, getting rid of Trump will have no negative impact on the economy, because the markets do NOT listen to Trump. Corporate America has figured out that they have to act in the best economic interest of their shareholders and employees and that this has NO relation to Trump. They have to care about the environment because it is inextricably linked to their survival in a competitive marketplace. And consumers demand it.
Now that the chinks in trump's "armor" are being exposed, even Republicans and supporters can ask questions like, how does giving farmers subsidies to pay for the economic hit they're getting because of Trump's Tariff Taxes make sense? How does taking money from the military to build his vanity fence make sense? How does destroying the Affordable Healthcare Act fix anything?
Dumping Trump and his group of cronies frees the economy form the tyranny of stupidity it has endured.
Donald whines a lot about how he is treated. Just wait till he's convicted.
The only reason congressional republicans fear Donald is that the president commands the bully pulpit. He can tweet a republican to death. (see, e.g., Mark Sanford.)
But if they think there's a chance to get rid of him, they might take it. Once he's gone, he's gone.
And the Republican Party can begin the long haul to reform the party without the racism, sexism, fascism and vote suppression.
The best possible infrastructure bill we could possibly have is a road Trump could follow directly out of the White House and ending in jail.
Of course, the Times will be there to reveal the identity of whistleblowers, or at least provide enough clues to the Trump administration to find them and do with them as they see fit.
My wife just said, "Nixon was a purring cat compared to the guy in the White House."
1
So essentially trump cleaned out most of what was good in our government and filled it with corrupt swamp creatures like himself.
The. Best. People.
Which economy?
The investment wealth economy or working peoples' economy?
1
I would like to believe, as Prof. Krugman apparently does, that impeachment will impede the destruction of governmental institutions, but I don't. While the White House may be up to its eyeballs in defense and obstruction, the Wilbur Rosses and Andrew Wheelers may continue their destruction unabated. They may even accelerate the decline of the country if they believe that their terms may be abbreviated by impeachment. Heaven help us!
@Carl Pop Yes, they are kakistocrats. And yes, Trump's daily insanities are primarily a screen over the kakistocratic policies being promulgated by his hand picked stooges.
My first reaction when I read the headline was "click bait." But, as usual, PK has marshaled a very strong argument that the Trump regime has been hard at work demolishing the infrastructure of competent government, which has and will continue to have severely negative impacts on the economy. The dismemberment of the Agricultural research bureau was disgraceful act of a regime without an ounce of sense; and there are dozens of other examples just as destructive.
I wish the news media could equal the reporting of Professor Krugman. He always gives readers informed opinion, grounded in provable facts and known realities. Bravo.
2
All true. Regardless, this is a Flight 93 situation. Trump is intent upon crashing our democracy. The destruction of norms, civility, guidelines, alliances, and even common decency is rapidly turning the US into an authoritarian state run by people with NO regard for science, the arts, human beings in general let alone excellence as Dr. Krugman points out; nor the functioning of the people's government; nor our priceless environment; and which wants to steal our public resources and chop down our trees and drill and pollute with no restriction.
So we MUST get control of this situation because the alternative is too catastrophic to tolerate. We really do have nothing to lose now. He's already trying to rig the 2020 election so waiting for that is futile. And global crises are only growing more dangerous and severe precisely because of Trump's assault on competence, alliances, common sense and the global economy.
It's now or never, America.
4
The Democrats need to sustain this effort, be thorough, and go wherever this takes them. Right now, that's looking to me like a simultaneous impeachment inquiry into Attorney General Barr, whose conduct thus far makes Jeff Sessions look like a pillar of rectitude by comparison.
5
This is coming from the man who predicted an economic crash if Trump was elected and then re-predicted the same once Trump was elected. It looks like the only alternative to Trump will be Warren, who if elected really will provoke an economic crash. Thanks Paul.
3
The government will shut down again on Tuesday unless funding bills passed by congress are signed into law. Who is to say that the president will not hold government funding hostage just as he did Ukraine security funding? If he refuses to sign any budget bill until the House drops the impeachment investigation, then what? Will Republicans stand up and override his veto or will they just call it the "Pelosi Shutdown" (or worse, the "Squad shutdown") along with Trump?
3
Thanks for the excellent article. It's always great to see the NYT Opinion publishing Krugman's thoughtful, intellectual discourse--as opposed to the paradox-mongering water cooler philosophy of certain others...
Yet to what extent has the aforementioned hacksterism pervaded the entirety of the republican party? Would we not be replacing the trumpoid brand with that of the standing VP?Moreover, would that of what's -his- name be any different?
1
I wish this was true. Or even had a chance to be true. Because impeachment is warranted. But it is nothing more than wishful thinking on Mr. Krugman's part. I do not know a single person in the financial world that thinks this is good for the economy. Not one. The only saving/mitigating factor is that he will not be removed in the Senate. The only thing people I know in finance tell me would be worse for the markets is a Warren or Sanders presidency.
1
@Charlie
Warren or Sanders will gurn us in a better direction by remediating the Grand Theft of Wealth from the Working class to the Investor class.
Over 40 years of stagnant wages has gone straight into the pockets of shareholders and CEOs.
Today it even obstructs our chance for Medicare for All with the inflated value of Health in the Wall Street casino.
4
Here's what I don't understand, maybe Prof Krugman can explain it to me.
America is the center of Capitalism. How is it that trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see, possibly be good for America or American Capitalism?
Just around the corner are many crises literally of our own making:
-The Climate Crisis
-The Retirement Crisis
-The Debt Crisis
-The Healthcare Crisis
-The Middle East Crisis
One day. the world is going to wake up and everything we know and trust is going to disappear. In its place will be chaos and anarchy, the likes of which we will not be able to over come.
I grew up in an era (the Sixties) when Government was responsible. No longer.
I fear that Greta Thunberg foreboding view of the future is practically inevitable.
Maybe, Mr. Krugman can cheer me up with an explanation of how we will get out of these messes we have made for ourselves.
2
These are encouraging points. However, there is also the danger of the wounded bully deciding to take us all down with him. Were'nt a couple hundred US troops just sent to Saudia Arabia?
2
Oh my goodness, I have to disagree with Dr. Krugman twice in one week. I don't think I ever have before. I don't believe that Donald Trump thinks that what's good for Donald Trump is good for America (though he'd say that if asked). I don't think Donald Trump cares about what is or isn't good for America. If something is good for Donald Trump, meaning that it brings in money for him, reduces his taxes, cuts regulations his businesses face, or makes him feel good (by, say, limiting the number of nonwhites in the country, or undoing things that Barack Obama did, or just generally making his enemies feel bad), then it's good. If it turns out to be bad for America, he'll deny a connection (including probably to himself) and demand that things be portrayed as good whether or not they are (Potemkin villages, but of course now they have to be called Trump villages). As for limiting the damage his cronies do, I actually think that many of his cronies will use widespread focus of attention on impeachment to implement more policies that will be bad for competence and will make the country less safe and prosperous, while no one's looking. The cronies aren't waiting for Trump's specific commands in order to act. They know the sort of thing they're there for, so they can do it even while Trump is preoccupied.
Since at least Ronald Reagan, the Republican Party has been trying to make government fail. They don't want a smoothly running, efficient, effective bueaucracy that provides good customer service and gets the job done. Instead, they have used funding cuts to "starve the beast" and propagandized against regulatory agencies as "big government" run amok. There is always a case to be made that any bureaucracy, whether in government or business, can get bloated, corrupted and ineffective but if you believe in the mission, you reform it and make it work better. Republicans don't believe government should do anything for the welfare of the mass of people so failure for them is Job 1.
5
An unmentioned agenda item (led by Moscow Mitch) will continues as fast as possible: Packing the Federal courts, from the SCOTUS on down, with young conservative ideologues who have life time appointments.
Overturning Roe v. Wade is at the public pinnacle of the PR promotion for this, but lurking out of sight is the broader and deeper agenda of overturning progressive programs and blocking new progressive legislation as unconstitutional.
New Deal legislation encountered this problem. While FDR's proposal to stack and reform the SCOTUS went nowhere in Congress, the justices changed their opinions. Is a replication a reasonable hope?
2
Among the uncertainties of the impeachment impacts is whether and how Trump's tariff policies will be affected. Presumably, if Trump's advisers finally catch on that the tariffs are not bringing jobs back to the U.S., not working, are backfiring, and are causing more economic and social harm than good to the U.S., they may not get time with Trump to have him stop or rescind his tariff policies due to Trump's 'focus' on the impeachment.
While this continued strain on our economy is unfortunate, and although more than one-fifth of total U.S. trade is subjected to these higher tariffs and prices for virtually all products sold in the U.S. that are covered under the tariff policies of Trump are going up, the impeachment is a necessary and vital cost of doing business.
I.E., the business of keeping our republic on sound footing.
While a POTUS certainly influences the economy, and can create extreme difficulties through trade wars and bad foreign policy, the oval office isn't the single mechanism for a healthy economy. I don't know many Wall Street or corporate CEOs, or Congress members for that matter, who want the market to crash and burn.
They're keeping it afloat and will continue to do so in spite of the criminal sitting in the oval. Because, yes, "What legislative agenda?"
1
The American State isn't particularly deep: in fact, compared to other states worldwide it's rather shallow. Notwithstanding, it's still out to get Trump. Why? Because the president is out to destroy his own State, and into his noxious bargain, ours.
Some among "We, the people" (one hopes a working majority), believe that the preservation of the state trumps further extension of Trump's presidency. And that's why the presidency must be called to account now, before it's too late.
4
I'm retired. I rely upon marketable assets for about half my income. I'm very happy to see our country protected from the Trump menace even if we suffer a temporary loss of a few thousand points on the Dow. But then again, I'm part of the generation that served our country in uniform as opposed to obtaining a deferment for spurious bone spurs. Perhaps I, like many other patriotic Americans, value our nation's well-being above our own.
15
Krugman thinks that impeachment will cause Trump and his administration to go into a kind of paralysis as they attempt to defend against accusations of corruption. This is possible, but it is at least as likely that they will go into increased aggression - more purges of those competent people who might resist Trump's power and more attempts to control information about the administration and its policies. This is largely what Trump has done so far, although he has backed off in some cases when there has been a bad reaction from his base.
The fact is that things are still going very well for the 1%. Profits are not growing as they did in the last couple of decades, but if they can get big tax cuts CEO's are not too concerned. Trumponomics is not good for the country, but America's financial and business leaders are not concerned with the good of the country - according to the main principle of free-market economics their first duty is to maximize profits for themselves and shareholders. There is no reason for them to support removal of Trump unless things really devolve into chaos. Their opinion of how America's economics are doing is what matters most at present.
6
@skeptonomist
Doing what's good for the economy?
Which economy? The investment economy or workers' economy?
Have economists finally decided we can do this without too much of a loss? Is that why we have tolerated this carnival huckster for 3 years?
His antics weren't a threat to investor wealth?
If Nancy Pelosi can change her mind on impeachment hearings, then let her really do something productive and come out in full support of HR 1384, the Medicare for All Act of 2019!
3
Impeachment will suck the oxygen out of Washington for months. The media -- NY Times, Fox, Washington Post -- will be riveted. To that extent it's a huge distraction.
The policy implications of impeachment are centered on the Senate, which would have to stage a trial. It will make for good political theater, but not much else. Legislation will be stalled. But wait...that's already happening under King McConnell.
9
"Let the good of the Republic be your supreme law" the Romans used to say. Salus respublicae summa lex tibi esto. There is no doubt for any observer of American public life that Trump must be impeached for a very simple reason: It is highly plausible that he has committed high crimes and misdemeanors. The latest revealed Trump maneuver of putting pressure on Ukraine to get Biden and his son investigated is only one of a number of startlingly corrupt and illegal actions. This scam artist has used the presidency to line his own pockets and those of his family, spread chaos and division in America, weakened international partnerships, and functioned as a stooge of America's murderous and thuggish adversary, Vladimir Putin.
9
I remember your prediction in 2005 that privatizing Social Security would derail much of the rest of 43's agenda. This turned out, with some help from Katrina, to be the case. I'm hoping you're right again!
Donald Trump has been characterized by many as an authoritarian populist, a Nationalist and other such labels. He's also self-described as a brilliant, self-made billionaire businessman intent on "draining the swamp."
But, after two and a half years what has emerged clearly is that he is a Contrarian in policy decisions. It's not an aberration that, at every 'Chopper Press Conference,' he brings up that "Barack Obama" comparison.
Obama related Bear's Ears conservancy, he gutted it. Obama set tough CAFE standards, he obliterates them--even as automakers complain that it's a fool's errand, and Larry Kudlow has to see it for that. And as it goes on, it's not good for industry, the environment or the electorate.
But it's a simple ingredient in Trump's fuzzy vision for America. He has more. Give the shrill partisans their Dream Supreme Court nominee, give the Republican donors their tax cut, reverse all of the treaties, go to the UN to skip the climate conference but introduce evangelical patriarchy into family planning.
Today, we know he's applied his Contrarian agenda to the Constitution and the Separation of Powers. We will have to wait to find out how that bold ploy ends.
2
A bit baffled that DJT’s “senior advisers” Jared and Ivanka, with their competence, sheer intelligence and years of solid experience in governments, would have let a trifle like this slip by.
Now as for Trump Jr. and Eric, perhaps if they had also chipped in with suitably lofty advisory roles, now that would have surely prevented something like this. Surely.
5
Impeaching trump is the beginning of the end. Please flip it; Obama was impeached. How would you feel? Not a judgement of deserving but consequences. Trump was elected president. PERIOD. What really has to happen is to answer the question WHY. LEFT WINGERS control the Dems. Do i really, really care about immigrants being excluded from our country? Maybe. Fixing climate change? Maybe. Rich getting richer? Maybe. Politically correctness? Maybe. For me the question to be answered is how does it effect me, my family and my future. The Dems message is so far off base that it is laughable.
4
@Robert Black What a selfish comment. Trump has done numerous illegal things, this last being the most horrific. If you can't see it for what it is because you care only about yourself and your family, then so be it. Karma is a wonderful thing.
@Robert Black
It's understandable why you like the Donald so much. Me, me,me. That's all that's important to you.
1
This ignores the "wag the dog" scenario, where to stay in office and distract attention, Trump does something truly atrocious, like launch a war with Iran.
Until now, the only thing preventing war with Iran is Trump's (and Fox News') fear that it would damage his reelection prospects.
Paul, I usually think that you're on target in your columns, because you use facts and logic, but this time I disagree. The degradation of the non-political staff in the federal government will accelerate, as Trump and his people look for ways to punish the people who do their jobs honestly. Trump will compile an actual list of enemies, if he hasn't done so already, and decent people in the government will be demoted, humiliated, transferred, and fired.
The only difference is that in the future his minions will check to see if what they're doing is technically legal, and they may try to suggest that Trump stop doing things that are blatantly illegal. In all other respects this American Carnage will continue.
And as the economy sours, as world economies slow down, the GOP will quickly come forward blaming the Dems for the ills of the nation. Unfortunately the Dems are pitiful in not exploiting the GOP/Trump for bad decisions, like spending $billions for constructing a worthless Wall when the money could have been used for infrastruture repairs our nation disparately needs. No matter what happens going forward, Trump will always be reminded for his lies, and a large one will be his promise to rebuild America by repairing its infrastructure. What Trump truly needs to be doing is thinking of how to get rid of that sign in Manhattan that says Trump Tower.
1
This administration has been so consistently wrong on pretty much every policy position, that I can't help but wonder what comes next. A bounty on blue birds, maybe?
3
I fear it will go the other way. Trump will look for any means to capture the news cycle to support his Witch Hunt defense. He will issue executive orders supportive or supported by his base to make the claim that he fighting the deep state and that is why they want to impeach him. His cronies will use the distraction to act in ways supporting their clients so to make sure of soft landings. You are giving Trump and his crony admin far too much ethical credit.
It is best to keep focused on the main issue. Many years ago Grover Norquist confirmed that the primary goal of the Republican oligarchy is “to drown government in a bathtub.” And that is exactly what the Trump Administration is doing. From day one their intention has been to hollow out every regulatory body in the federal government. Every cabinet appointment has been about destroying his or her agency. Of course Trump is not doing any of this himself, he is utterly clueless. The termites in the shadows behind him keep burrowing away, while he embraces his world class talents of distraction and attention-getting.
5
I think you’re thinking is a little narrow. trump is bad for everything except himself.
Therefore, his impeachment and removal from office should be good for everything, again, except trump.
Pleased to see the first republican governor come out in favor of the impeachment inquiry.
From Vermont.
Go Cats Go!
2
Trump was the one guy the Democrats could beat in 2020. My fear is Trump is replaced by Mike Pense running against Elizabeth Warren with Trump being made into a martyr. So dems vindicate Hillary but loose one of the most important elections in our history. It’s not about just beating Trump, it’s about winning over our entire government
Good thoughts. Thank you for the encouragement!
Paul, this column is spot on. Trump is definitely anti-competence and it starts with himself. The man refuses to educate himself on anything that's put in front of him. His magical brain, he believes, will make the correct decision. Except, that rarely occurs. Though, to give credit where credit is rarely due, Trump has shied away from a military conflict with Iran. Shocking, but thus far, his brain has served him and America well where Iran is concerned. More likely, this is some form of narcissistic cowardice. The equivalent of cerebral bone spurs. Nonetheless, the effect is good. As for the stock market, I can find no math that gives credit for it's rise since Trump's inauguration to Trump himself. In 2016 many economists, including you Paul, were begrudging the slow rate of expansion in our economy. I was shaking my head, because I knew it was about to take off. It was a long hard slog from 2008 to 2016, and Obama got us through those years, in spite of Republicans doing everything possible to slow things down. Trump himself tweeted about Obama during this error a few thousand times. It was a perfect storm that caused Hillary to lose that election. And it will be a perfect storm that sweeps El Trumpo out of office. Like last time, we won't see it coming. Unlike last time, we'll be dancing in the streets when it hits.
1
It’s bad for the economy. It’s bad for the country, and it’s a disgrace.
How one disgruntled CIA agent can bring the business of government to a grinding halt, and now they are taking another two weeks off is beyond belief. Especially when 80% of hard working Americans could care less about Presidential phone calls, or Joe Biden for that matter.
It’s also amazing people are paraded before Congress in a continuous nonsensical parade of Americans, and sworn in to tell the truth. Yet the members of Congress are allowed to say anything true, false or otherwise, and in the process publicly lynch fellow Americans
That Professor is bad for the economy.
2
Well Krugman I hope you never, ever stop sharing your opinion in writing (yes, I am asking for immortality). Mind you that I do not always agree with you, but you are a uniquely American voice, indispensable for the nation.
4
Count me among the people who have been arguing against the fervor for impeachment. However, I really don't know what choice the Congress has when a president is obviously doing illegal activities that put our nation's security at risk. At what point do we all say, "Enough is enough" and make a stand against corruption?
My concern is that our ethical norms, weak as they were to begin with, have been steadily eroded to the point that even brazenly illegal activity by Trump somehow gets a pass. It's disturbing that Republicans, the once the self-described party of "values," have lost their ability to recognize right from wrong.
Trump is incompetent, which is what's saving us now, but the foundation is being set for a competent corrupt leader who will exploit the loopholes that Trump keeps stumbling into.
Do I think impeachment will work? No. That's why I've been against it all along. I envision Trump a few months from now trumpeting his exoneration and victory after the Senate doesn't vote to convict.
That said, at some point justice needs to take a stand. Otherwise, we accept living in some kind of criminal mob-like state in which corruption is business as usual.
2
Insightful and engaging. Thank u Prof K.
1
Of course you would say that.
It crashes the economy and you can then claim you were right all along to say Trump was bad for the economy.
Sorry, your wish won't come true.
1
The market had this basic thesis priced in long ago.
1
I agree with the advantages of distracting this wrecking-crew of an Administration. While they have failed to repeal Obamacare, for example, their strategy of sabotage-by-rule-making has impaired the ACA and actually increased the number of uninsured. This action tends to reinforce their false narrative that Obamacare has 'failed'. This is akin to putting sand or water in a car's gas tank, then exclaiming that this is a lousy car because it does not run smoothly. It exemplifies their approach to governing by vandalism.
1
Impeaching Trump is the only decent thing to do. Whoever votes against impeachment is enabling criminal like behavior.
However, I do not see that paralysis. Just yesterday the administration announced a big cut in asylum quotas and, being attacked is what energizes Trump. He may go in a revenge stampede with executive orders that will be bad for most Americans.
By the way, "...they will be worrying about more potential whistle-blowers going public about what they’re doing." Not after the NYT reported on the identity of the whistle-blower.
I remember during the 2016 presidential campiagn, one of the arguments for putting Trump in the White House was that if he ran the country the way he ran his businesses, we would all be better off. Well, the call to Zelensky is a perfect example of the way Trump ran his businesses. The horse trading, the veiled threats, skirting the law, and then lying about it all ... this is Trump-World in miniature. May we now please, please, please give up on the pipe dream that a businessman belings in the Oval Office?
2
Impeachment is not only good for the economy, it is good for the soul.
3
Impeaching Donald Trump is also good for the morale of good people. Which raises the question, "Where do Republicans come from?"
How is it that so many Republicans have no moral compass? Were they born that way? Does the party only admit unethical, amoral people? Is that a requirement for membership?
After the whistle-blower's complaint was made public, Republicans went into overdrive to disparage it and the whistle-blower. But anyone with an ounce of decency could see that their attacks were unethical, indecent, rants of nonsense.
I don't know if Professor Krugman is right that impeaching Trump will be good for the economy, but it is giving me hope that the long arc of the moral universe is bending towards justice. And that means the Republican Party is doomed to extinction.
3
Trump's speech pattern mostly runs along only two lines: self-aggrandizement and criticism of Barack Obama. His removal from office would no doubt benefit the economy as well as the soul of the country and most everything else.
1
When Obama took over and every Republican started at the 1 second mark of his administration trying to throw him on history's trash heap .....the markets ignored it and grew from the great recession levels to where they were when Trump took office. Every thing that happens in the world, be it wars, recessions, voting in or out a particular politician, or anything else the markets shrug off. Because if the average person hasn't figured it out by now, let me clue them in. Money only cares about one thing. More money. All the rest of the stuff is background noise. Money will do whatever it has to do to increase. Trump's overblown self of himself will get him to exactly the place Mitch tried to put Obama. The trash heap of history. The problem for McConnell was the harder he tried to throw Obama on that pile, the faster he rolled off it. Trump, on the other hand, will remain there for eternity.
1
The point that supporting public servants who resist unlawful, or even just stupid, "directions" (orders) through engaging the Impeachment process now is very important.
The silly sophistry of the GOP in denial about the import of the crime in the call ("it's just one call!", "there's no quid pro quo") just shows that, insultingly, the GOP heads believe that most voters live in a Sponge Bob Square Pants cartoon world. That we can't understand the real world situation (Biden is T's worst fear for 2020, given all the polls aside from Rassmusson show him...well, beating T like a drum), and would have to hear T actually say- 'I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse', to see the truth of the offer actually being made.
(If the Ukrainian leader weren't so real world green he would have put the call on his front pages the next day, as leverage.)
But one thing gives me pause... the GOP Rep who asserted that an American President has the right to pursue assistance from foreign governments "in an ongoing investigation."
Is there an on going (FBI?) investigation?
The GOPs know the action focused, now, on the call, and its cover up, is just one symptom of the disease that must be dealt with. They also know the door to the files room will be open and many more charges may well follow. T and friends will not dodge "under oath" this time.
Dems are right to bet: we CAN handle the truth. The whole truth, and nothing but...
1
"If there’s one thing the tweeter in chief believes, it is that what’s good for Donald Trump is good for America."
Really? Since when?
If there's one thing Donald Trump believes, it is that what's good for Donald Trump is *all* that matters.
2
Great ideas here but NYT reader's are missing the point. None of these strategies will be implemented until money is out of government. The GOP has never helped the 99% and the dems haven't either since LBJ. Big money owns Washington and the politicians love their voters being distracted arguing over guns, and abortion while implementing policy for their lobbyist puppet masters.
No kidding Trump is bad for both government institutions and the economy! And you didn’t even mention climate change or how he’s trying to interfere with California!
Please keep pushing your narrative. Be more detailed on how all of us are at risk because of Trump and his brand of Republicanism (hoax).
1
The whole thing is so similar to China Mao’s Culture Revolution.
First Mao destroyed the regular government entities through the mob.
Then Mao gave out his own agenda through the so-called Gang of Four to execute.
The Ukraine episode has revealed the Gang of Two. Not sure who else has been involved?
2
It's true, I've occasionally pondered which would be worse, more incompetence or less of it in Trump's administration. An incompetent person who is given a dirty job (like undermining the government department he's been made the head of) is preferable to someone who's too efficient. On the other hand, the immigration disaster is a horrible example of total incompetence from top to bottom. Nobody but the lazy and greedy can win at these games.
You predicted a market crash when Trump was elected, so for anybody to pay attention to your latest prognostication would frankly be foolhardy, don’t you think?
2
How can we tke Paul Krugman seriously? Isn't he the guy who predicted that the Internet would be a passing fad and would go the way of the fax machine in a few years? Isn't he the guy who said that if Trump was elected that the econoy would fall apart? Isn't he the guy who said that Conservatives take“positive glee in inflicting further suffering on the already miserable?"
Ever since he won The Prize he thinks he is an expert on every thing rather than just a spokewman for the liberal elite.
Impeaching Donald Trump will be a disaster for the economy because it will set the stage for reversal of tax cuts, asymptotic increases in corporate and individual taxes which will drive the economy down to where it was when Obama was president, a expansion of the federal government, a plethora of new job killing regulations, and "god forbid" the green new deal.
How can any of that be good for the economy?
1
It's truly ironic that Trump arrived pledging to drain the swamp - and he could end up becoming the only president to ever be 100% impeached...there are how many dozens of lawsuits awaiting Trump once he leaves office - it could make the impeachment process itself seem relatively easy...
...importantly, Trump has taught America and the world very directly what a lunatic-in-charge looks like, a wanna-be dictator narcissist. BE careful what you wish for, what television celebrity will be next.
Additionally, in many ways Trump has made a mockery of dictators...he is the iconic parody of the role.
Who could have imagined all the benefits that will come from this in coming years. Hold the faith.
1
Can you image how the calls between Trump and China, or Mexico, Or Canada went in his pathetic, easy to win, trade wars?
If I were a farmer I'd be more than worried about he prospect of Trump getting the USA the "best" deal.
What scares me most is not Trump. We all knew what we got when he was elected. What scares me most is the GOP. They have been complicit from day one. No resistance. A complete failure to defend the country and its constitution against an inept, deeply corrupt president. All they have left now is to lie, distract, deflect, point at non-existent squirrells or be silent.
The voter needs to vote these people out of office, all of them. For a complete failure to do their duty towards the American people and the constitution.
2
I have said all along that what is saving our country from Trump's political agenda is gross incompetence. My concern now, however, is that the ability of the Congress to gather the hard evidence they need to pursue a impeachment lies in departments and offices headed by incompetents or a Trump stooge. If you think Hillary's missing emails was bad, wait until you see someone like Rick Perry or Bill Barr responding to a Congressional inquiry.
1
Ha, this is ridiculous.
Nobody is more incompetent than the Democrats.
When they controlled both houses, what did we get ? A right-wing Heritage Foundation health "care" plan, more wars, more domestic spying, more drone strikes, no torture prosecutions, no bankster prosecutions instead kicking out homeowners, Bush tax cuts permanent, always increasing "defense" budget, an attempt to kill SS and Medicare in a "grand bargain", whistleblowers prosecuted, fracking galore, drilling in the Arctic, a stolen Supreme Court seat, a broke DNC, and a loss of 1000 legislative seats. Basically a third Bush term. All the while, of course, promising the opposite while campaigning and delivered with fantastic smoothness by the "hope and change" Obama.
In contrast, with Trump, the voters got exactly what they voted for. They voted for a clown to throw a Molotov cocktail and he delivered. Just look at the circus! He also gave the elites their tax cut, stacked the courts with right-wing judges, slashed regulations, and hasn't started a war (yet). I don't agree with any of his policies (except the no new war part), but to say he's incompetent is ridiculous. I wished Democrats delivered half as much on their campaign promises as he has delivered to his base.
It is also dangerous because if you think your opponent is incompetent you will underestimate him and lose. How did that pied piper strategy work out for HRC? I thought so.
Underestimate the Donald at your own peril. I'll stick with Bernie.
3
Super Rich got super fatter during the Obama years...
Top 10% got plumper during the Obama years..
Other 90% got leaner during the Obama years...
Super Rich got super fatter still during the Trump years...
Top 10% got plumper still during the Trump years...
Other 90% stayed lean in the Trump years...
So how will the 2020 Democratic Presidential nominee convince voters that Democrats can make a “difference” in their prospects this time around?
No, no, Paul, you’re not listening. You don’t get it.
Mr. Trump has assurred us that more was accomplished during the first half of his first term of office than any president in history ever has, here in the U.S. or anywhere else. Ever.
For example, “fourteen regulations were eliminated for every new regulation that was imposed.”
Although the president couldn’t think of a single retired regulation to use as an example, fourteen is a pretty darned impressive number.
President Don scrapped international agreements and accords after determining that they were, “a disgrace, the worst ever...”, and he did so without bothering to read the documents in question. That’s decisive presidential action.
His Dimness alienated our allies, made many incomprehensible speeches, fell in love with foreign tyrants, avoided the clutches of pious zealots hunting for witches, threw himself intolerant hateful pep rallies and resigned himself, in the national interest, to be closely followed, day after day, by a lovely silent woman whose expression is far less than warm.
Paul, these should be considered presidential accomplishments, or, at least, “political practice.”
Trump didn’t just tax the poor, reward the wealthy and attempt to rescind the Affordable Health Care Act. He hated a lot of folks and compared them to rodent infestations, too!
C’mon, Paul. Catch up!
2
AMERICA IS A CONTINENT BECAUSE THERE ARE 35 NATIONS ON IT. It is high time the U.S. grow up and start using its real name, the United States, period.
1
@Sage
That name change wouldn’t work out very well.
The full name of the nation just to the south of us is The United States of Mexico. (Estados Unidos de Mexico). There’s also the Estados Unitos de Columbia. The Estados Unidos de Brasil. The United States of Micronesia. Etc.
We have no monopoly on the national descriptor “United States.”
At the United Nations you can’t swing a dead rat on a string without whacking it into someone from the “United States” of something or other. There are lots of countries with U.S. in their full name.
There are 12 sovereign countries in South America, and 10 in North America — Canada, the U.S.A., Mexico and seven Central American countries.
That makes a total of 22 nations on the North and South American continents. How did you find 35?
We’re entitled to our own opinions, but no one is entitled to their own facts.
I respectfully mention this, as people feeling entitled to their own facts has become a very serious problem over the past few decades.
1
Well-stated. as usual, Dr. Krugman.
1
"In Trump’s vision of government, career diplomats who do actual diplomacy, experienced regulators who actually try to enforce regulations, researchers who produce objective data — up to and including weather forecasters whose predictions he doesn’t like — are all part of a deep state that’s out to get him. So Trump officials have been engaged in a systematic campaign to degrade America’s Civil Service, driving out people who know what they’re doing and replacing them with political hacks."
This was precisely the rationale behind Stalin's purges of the Communist party and all branches of Soviet government/society including the military right up to the eve of the Nazi invasion, removing/executing competent officials - whose very competence and loyalty to the revolution, and not to Stalin directly, threatened him - replacing them with incompetent toadies.
Yet more food for thought regarding the Trumpian tilt towards autocracy and the imperative for impeachment.
Nicely observed.
First let's pay respect where respect is due:
The Pelosi assault weapons ban
The Pelosi MediCare Drug Negotion bill
The Pelosi legislation limiting Presidential emergency powers
The Pelosi bill requiring blind trusts for Presidents
The Pelosi bill requiring mandatory release of tax returns
Mandatory CAFE standards
GREAT JOB DEMS!!!
1
Very true - that's what they've been saying all along - impeaching him will help him get re-elected in 2020. Not only because it will turn out his base to "vote with vengeance", but also because an improved economy always benefits the incumbent.
An impeachment inquiry, on the other hand, will dig up enough dirt to allow the Dems to keep the voters focus on incompetence and danger to the institution of the Presidency. Pelosi should keep this "impeachment inquiry" on a slow boil thru Sep 2020
You're an economist, a pretty good one at that. Here's a simple question:
What happens to the US economy if new revenue is raised from the economy that totals $7.5 trillion or basically 5-6 times what the US currently collects in income tax now?
Dow: 5,000
S & P 500: 600
Do any banks survive at all- Has the Fed actually looked at the stress test in that economy?
This is all goofy.
I don't know about the whole economy but when Speaker Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry I grabbed my wallet and sent money to the DNC, the ACLU and my favorite candidate so far.
1
Please be careful in impeaching Trump, don´t forget that Pence is much worse.
Impeachment is a good start. My bucket list includes visiting Trump in jail.
Hey Don, How's things? I see some of your best friends are here too. That must make things better. Hey, got to go, but stay positive. You'll be out in no time at all.
Tata!
2
Nothing Trump did from the word go should stand after his removal.
2
After reading some of the hacks at the Washington Post and then reading David Brooks, it's always a pleasure to come home to a well-thought out, well-written post by Paul Krugman. Thank you.
The Ugliest American has infected the body. The impeachment is like fever, antibodies trying to get rid of the parasite. Who knows if it will actually work. It may work or it may not, and the body could actually get re-infected.
Whatever the case, the body may never fully recover from the infection. Some nerves are already so badly damaged that no therapy will bring them back to full functionality.
We will need amputations and artificial limbs, maybe even a new brain. It's time for a new Constitution.
1
Cash Rules Everything Around Me
"...including weather forecasters whose predictions he doesn’t like — are all part of a deep state that’s out to get him. "
This "hackification" (such a great word) and the "deep state" belief Mr. Krugman cites is an "after the fact fig leaf. It gives the First Fatman WAY too much credit. "Deep state" is just a melodramatic fantasy term the right made up for the common phenomenon of persistent organizational culture. Those guys should take a course once in a while.
Trump is shot through with insecurities and resentments and just plain laziness. I suspect it's all pre-conscious now but Trump just knows how little those competent bureaucrats think of him and his abilities. Rather than suffer their low opinion he opts for a kind of "two fer." Demonstrate his "superiority" by kicking them out AND (at the same time) remove the whispered ridicule, mocking and accusatory glances coming his way.
He's not wrong in how people see him. His solution, however, only deepens that well at the core of this man- child.
What will happen to Kim ju Un and denuclearization of Korean Peninsula? Kim can help his friend Trump by giving up all nukes.
Don't you ever get tired of being wrong? You said the same thing when he got elected and our 401K's are doing pretty good. Unemployment down, wages coming up, and the overall economy is not doing too bad. Definitely not the apocalypse you described would happen back in Jan/Feb of 2017. Trump's an idiot, but I sure hope my 401K doesn't fall 50% due to the socialist agenda of the Democratic Party, who have pretty much abandoned the average American blue collar/white collar workers. In general, president's get far too much credit and too much blame for good/bad economies. You know that better than me, Professor. Lighten up, deep breaths, and stop being wrong all the time.
1
Last Thursday I bought puts under all of my stocks. I'm very happy with the way things are going right now. If there is a crash I will make a nice killing. Bravo Trump!
Congratulations, Paul. You've just achieved moral equivalency with the president. Hes rooting for impeachment because he thinks he profits politically. You skip to the greenbacks. Neither one of you has a moral compass.
The tide has turned, and I thank you and all the workers at the NY Times for your patriotism during the dark days of Trump
1
I do not see a connection Mr. Krugman. I prefer to say that exploiting the president’s Ukraine faux pa to rid us of this charlatan president is definitely helping the well being of the US. The economy has a life of it’s own.
63
@NOTATE REDMONDWhile I might normally agree, trumps tariffs and his eclectic trade policies have clearly hurt the economy.
37
You live in Texas. There are tornados there with some frequency. Isn't it nice to have a national weather service with the ability to warn you when they are coming? That's one of Mr. Trunp's evisceration projects.
37
Businesses show a strange contradiction in terms of self-governance and expectation from the Government. Yes, they want a stable and predictable Govt, which is capable to provide them with prosperous gullible consumers. At the same time, the same businesses don't help the Govt or its consumers, aka general public, to remain prosperous and informed much. That's one of the major problems of Crony capitalism and distorted practice in form of globalization. The resulting socioeconomic pain and frustration is making government and governance unstable to such an extent that a person like Trump got elected as US President. I do understand the lure to get such huge tax bonanza and other seemingly wrong or even illegal privileges (e.g. deregulation of environmental protection) that such businesses coerce politicians like Trump. But its long term consequences would not be that great for the business either, as many of those companies & many top Forbes 500 CEOs learned lately.
Businesses must learn to discipline itself if it really does not like people like Trump to destabilize domestic and/or global financial system.
1
Yes. Provided it results in his removal, rather than another 4 years - which, if the Senate acquits (as seems certain, no matter the evidence or seriousness of the crimes, or refuses to bring to trial (McConnell likely will ignore a House impeachment) - seems likely (his 2020 campaign slogan: "100% exoneration and frame-up"). Trump's next term will provide more lawlessness, corruption and authoritarianism (there might then well be 3rd, 4th & 5th terms - despite the 22nd Amendment). And will be exponentially more damaging to the economy (and to our freedom and to viability of life on this Planet).
Godot has finally arrived. Pelosi shows us that she is truly in charge. Many of us complained about her delay but now we understand.
Whatever the outcome in the short term, the US is showing the world that Trump is not really in charge any more. It will be good for business when it is over because business cannot float on constant uncertainty.
Now our politics heading into 2020 become even more critical. We have Biden, business as usual, or Warren, the crusader against corruption. Bernie, no longer a leader, is repeating his Hillary program by encouraging his team to go after Warren. What a snake he is!
So, we will now watch as Republican pols gradually come to their senses and support impeachment.
7
The Trump presidency and Republican Senate has, in fact, been very successful at achieving its policy agenda -- fecklessness...
2
The markets shrugged because they don't believe the people want a government that is honest and effective. They shrugged because they believe the people just don't care and Trump will be reelected. For the markets, it was just another day of wealthy investors supporting The Republican President hollowing out the regulatory agencies and a Republican Senate ready to support their man in the White House. Good enough until the next round of tax cuts.
For those of us who believe in the honesty and integrity of the people, it was a day when the first glimmer of hope in three years gave showed us that the days of the plutocracy are numbered.
6
Trump has created more uncertainty for business than even civil unrest could. Two activities are part of his administration, a narrow-minded nationalism that has created conflict with friends, allies and competitors and total inactivity such as the promise of infrastructure programs. So if his administration comes to a standstill, the nation and the world will profit from it. However, to regain the initiative, he may do something totally crazy or dangerous, so we will have to wait and see how he reacts and whether Republicans will continue to back him up.
3
Not only will removing Trump slow down the administration's war on competence, it may save our planet from further deregulatory pollution. Foreign observers can only scratch their heads when Trump's DOJ threatens to sue U.S. automakers if they don't agree to lower emission standards and start producing dirtier cars. Or see the EPA roll back 85 environmental regulations on air and water pollution, oil and gas extraction, endangered species and toxic chemicals and gases. Talk about stepping back in time.
7
The markets shrugged because the impeachment process is simply seen as a 100 percent political maneuver ahead of the election, supported at this point only by Democrat party officials, and fruitless in that it will never lead to a senate vote to remove Trump from office. Were Warren or even Biden seen as likely to win then the markets would be reacting. The person who really helps President Trump is you Professor — by supporting policies and candidates so far left of the center you give credence to his criticisms of the Dems as rising socialists with all their concomitant aims and failed policies of the past. This supports the claims of impending doom should they get elected. Krugman is good for Trump.
3
If I were Xi, I would table any talks with the Trump administration while the impeachment investigations and ongoing, and until the House and Senate vote. One thing Republican senators should evaluate is whether Pence will step in if Trump is dethroned. Pence arguably could remove trade tariffs and other trade barriers, and thus install confidence in the Republican party among key constituents. I would think that a lot of businesses will wait with baited breath to see if Trump goes, with the hope that things will then get much better.
4
Pence is wrapped up in this Ukrainian scandal as well. trump threw him under the bus on Wednesday's nervous chat with reporters. He asked the press to talk to his vice because of the several phone calls that were made "for congratulations" to Zelensky. one would think that one would suffice, no? "They were all perfect" according to the donald. indeed.
What about China?
How will impeachment inquiries affect the trade war with China?
Will Trump try to get some deal so he can declare victory? Or will he double down on his tariffs and other penalties?
It's hard to know what Trump's gut might tell him to do. It will surely depend on what he thinks might resonate with his base. It's probably too much to expect that diehard supporters will begin to question their hero.
1
Trump repeatedly claims that he owns the economy, a claim he is proud to recite over and over again even in the face of a trillion dollar deficit and a slowing economy. He knows that a recession would be devastating for his re-election hopes so he is looking to present himself and his economy as victims of ...Democrats !
An impeachment would not prevent him from continuing to damage washington's regulatory functions , nor would it prevent him from doing harm to the supreme court and the judicial system in general. It would not prevent him from taking advantage of so called "deep state" dribble, the right wing is so fond of.
Trump will attempt to defend himself against impeachment and surround himself with a circle as corrupt as he is. No doubt his impeachment defense will in part be throwing distractions at the american public. One of his distractions may well be economic chaos, a technique used in his bankruptcies. This means that as impeachment nears the question of removal from office must be addressed if impeachment is to signify more than sound and fury and is to have the actual effect of limiting the damage he is doing.
2
"In Trump’s vision of government, career diplomats who do actual diplomacy, experienced regulators who actually try to enforce regulations, researchers who produce objective data — up to and including weather forecasters whose predictions he doesn’t like — are all part of a deep state that’s out to get him."
I don't think that this is TRUMP's vision. He certainly "didn't build that", Steve Bannon and his Breitbart website did.
They launched this kind of conspiracy and carefully developed it, step after step, fake news after fake news, years before Trump was even a candidate.
The only thing that comes from Trump himself is his idea that a trade deficit is a bad thing. THAT, he has been saying for decades - without ever providing any proof supporting such hypothesis.
All the rest is merely copy-pasting of Fox News, with a little Bannon added once in a while.
4
Yes, and Beware William Barr and the false of his 'Deep State Conspiracy' coming soon to a TV near you.
But what commonly happens in corrupt states is that corruption increases as the prospect of losing power grows. There is less and less time to cement those regulatory changes, make those payoffs, and organize payback employment. Should we not worry about this?
2
Mr. Krugman may be a respected, if controversial, economist, but he is certainly not a legal scholar. Articles of Impeachment based on recent developments would be a disaster for this country (and for the Democrat party), as it would create a precedent that would drastically lower the bar with respect to establishing grounds for impeachment.
The President's actions, pundits may argue, manifest an abuse of power. This may be true, but "abuse of power" is not a crime; it is a political term of art. The Founders specifically refuted the notion of impeaching a president for political purposes. "High crimes" on the level of treason and bribery are required. Nothing the president did rises to that level. The mechanism by which a president - or any politician - is removed from office is through an election - the vote.
If, therefore, the fools in the House decide to come up with Articles of Impeachment on the facts before us future presidents (yes, including Democrats) would be subjected to the same political sword of Damocles hanging over them. We are not in a Parliamentary system wherein Prime Ministers are removed by votes of no confidence, and if that is why the current Democrats are looking for, let them change our Constitution.
Professor, stick to your bean counting, inverted yield curves, reading tea leaves, whatever, but stay in your realm.
4
Your assertions that Trump did not violate the law are absurd on their face. He added to it by threatening a whistleblower, an additional violation of law. But impeachment does not even require a violation of law, it merely requires failure to uphold the duties of office.
While impeachment may not result in conviction by an ethically-challenged caucus of Republican senators, the exercise of the impeachment process is necessary to prove the Constitution has not been abandoned. If he is not removed from office after openly admitting he broke the law, obviously our legal system needs additional protection against wanton lawlessness.
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@Romeo Salta
I question the value of the "vote" as long as the Electoral College makes the final decision as to who moves into the White House. Wiithout the Electoral College we could have had a President Gore and his environmental policies and we wouldn't have had a President Bush and the war in Iraq. I, for one, don't wish to wait until 2020 to rid ourselves of Trump. He must go now if America is to become America again.
4
@Romeo Salta You don't have to commit a crime to be impeached. The president can be impeached if the Congress thinks he has violated his oath of office. To me he clearly has.
1
It's not like democrats have been all that laser focussed on a functioning administrative state for the past 30 or so years. The Clinton years (with Gingrich's Contract for American) pushed "smart" regulations for environmental concerns. A muddled administrative state is easier for think tanks, foundations, non profits or whatever the charity-industrial complex produces in the shadows to push policy when government expertise and decision making is left to lobbyists and consultants. Lobbyists and consultants seem to straddle the divide. Who knows, maybe some K Street firms have both Big Green and Big Oil as clients for environmental and climate matters. Now that's hedging.
Hey, that's cool, I 'member Republicans' phony "Contract with America". Do you 'member it? Cuz if you do, you will 'member that it was a lie from beginning to end, just more window dressing while the Republicans continued to lay the foundations for a presidency like Trump's. You can draw a direct line from the perfidy of Gingrich to the treasonous inaction of Moscow Mitch, and the criminality of the current administration.
1
Those of us who have assets in the stock market are certainly bolstered by your view. But we're in the smaller half of Americans that do have investments, are boomers with substantial savings, and are now post-paid work.
Yes, I'm glad that the economy is ticking along, but how are we going to get the disparity between rich and poor back into balance in our country?
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@Lisa
This is a good question, easy to answer though much tougher to live out. We have to stop spending most of our federal budget on war and preparing for war. We spend 650 billion on the published military budget plus at least a 100 billion on shadow defense and intelligence programs. Most people want to work and provide for themselves and their families. For 250 billion a year(which would include what we spend on unemployment insurance about 104 billion yearly), the US would pay employers the yearly salary for every unemployed person in America. A person would have the option to go to trade school or college and receive a stipend to live on until ready for work. People could have option of starting own business with support services. Details could be worked out. Lisa, for about one fifth of our current defense budget, we could provide gainful employment for everyone physically able to work in US. This would go a tremendously long way to getting rid of wealth disparity in the US. Wow, could be done with no new taxes because all that money goes into economy not like last tax law where most went into corporate stock buybacks.
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@John
It's simpler than that, though you are not wrong. We have to tax the people with too much money instead of giving them tax breaks.
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@John You know the money we spend on the military actually goes to Americans who work for the military. We need to redirect that money to more useful tasks - like providing healthcare to everyone or to rebuilding our infrastructure.
56
The markets shrug over Drumpf, because we live in a GLOBAL economy now, and billions of people have begun to realize that CAPITALISM is what truly defines their daily lives, not governments. Social media has a bigger impact on markets and solves bigger social problems than any government could, with ten times the speed. If we had to wait for the government to raise the minimum wage, we'd all starve. But the market made it happen all on its own, with ZERO government help. Corporations now fear their actual customers way more than they fear "repressive" governments.
Because even the most powerful governments are now merely "regional managers" for a system that treats the entire planet as one big market.
Now, I'm not channeling Gordon Gecko and saying "capitalism is better than government, so get rid of government". I'm simply saying that a HIGHLY regulated market is more responsive and capable of TRULY representing the daily needs and desires of the people of the world than any government created by high-minded ideologues.
But, as usual, I'm probably wrong. Feel free to tell me why.
1
@danivers
I don't know whether or not you are right or wrong. Economics is not my forte. I do believe, however, that capitalism per se is amoral. Obtaining profit by any means without any restraining moral principles is not acceptable to my way of thinking. The ever widening gap between rich and poor in this country seems to be the result of a capitalism allowed to run wild. The "a" must be removed from "amoral".
The points raised in the op-ed are why many of us were anxious for a serious impeachment effort to begin. It's not just about whether the Senate and the public will be moved to agree on Trump's unfitness, or whether the politics will work out, etc, although strategically these things are very important. It's about what can be done to slow down the destruction of norms, decency, good governance, the rule of law, climate stability, and a security net for millions. And Trump on the defensive and under the microscope is what's needed to help stop the landslide. I think it's not just a moral/legal issue, it's about reality and pragmatism, one of life's inconvenient truths.
542
@original Mr. Krugman may be a respected, if controversial, economist, but he is certainly not a legal scholar. Articles of Impeachment based on recent developments would be a disaster for this country (and for the Democrat party), as it would create a precedent that would drastically lower the bar with respect to establishing grounds for impeachment. The President's actions, pundits may argue, manifest an abuse of power. This may be true, but "abuse of power" is not a crime; it is a political term of art. The Founders specifically refuted the notion of impeaching a president for political purposes. "High crimes" on the level of treason and bribery are required. Nothing the president did rises to that level. The mechanism by which a president - or any politician - is removed from office is through an election - the vote. If, therefore, the fools in the House decide to come up with Articles of Impeachment on the facts before us future presidents (yes, including Democrats) would be subjected to the same political sword of Damocles hanging over them. We are not in a Parliamentary system wherein Prime Ministers are removed by votes of no confidence, and if that is why the current Democrats are looking for, let them change our Constitution. Professor, stick to your bean counting, inverted yield curves, reading tea leaves, whatever, but stay in your realm.
2
@original - American can survive another 15/16 months of Trump; it cannot survive another 4 (or 8 or 16) years after that. Impeaching him will not have any noticeable effect in the next 15 months on all those feel-good goals you mention ( slow down the destruction of norms, decency, good governance, the rule of law, climate stability, and a security net for millions). You have to focus on removing him from office.
We all know that removal from office does NOT result from impeachment (Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton), but removal from office can happen on the road to impeachment (Richard Nixon).
An impeachment inquiry will dig up enough dirt to allow the Dems to keep the voters focus on incompetence and danger to the institution of the Presidency. Pelosi should keep this "impeachment inquiry" on a slow boil thru Sep 2020.
Impeaching him will only help him get re-elected in 2020. Not only because it will turn out his base to "vote with vengeance", but also because an improved economy (resulting from impeachment, as Prof Krugman argues) always benefits the incumbent.
4
@Romeo Salta
The standard for impeachment is actually left deliberately vague. It states "high crimes and misdemeanors" which, from what I understand, could include behavior deemed unfitting of the office of president. This is not a legal definition in the strict sense - based on what I have read. I wish there was more commentary on this point.
But one thing is clear, and that is the President Trump has more than cleared the bar necessary for an inquiry.
Also, to say that it is the House of Representatives that is damaging the office of the presidency, seems to gloss over the incredible amount of damage done by its current occupant.
I hope it can be repaired.
26
I totally agree with this analysis. The article did not mention the EPA's good work and regulatory oversight that was under constant attack from this administration (which was successful rolling back tons of climate related rules, water regs, and allowing new oil & gas exploration on federal lands) and the destruction of career EPA staff.
4
Krugman knows how to call it. Trump's destruction of some of the best, most productive and protective elements of the federal government is an incredible loss, one that has hurt economic activity. Trump's war on the environment and the planet's climate is resulting in enormous economic losses. And Trump's trade policies amount to all-out war on his fellow Americans - farmers, sawmill workers, autoworkers, and more. So, yes, impeaching Trump will be great for the economy. And great for humankind.
1302
@Barbara The only silver lining I can see is whoever replaces him will find a tabula rasa throughout a government denuded of talent. A President Warren or Buttigieg will then be able to appoint and hire several additional thousand civil servants, pushing the domestic departments leadership and staff much further left from it's current moderate center.
130
That's the danger of extremist policies. They engender extremist responses.
20
@Lab333. What current moderate center?
45
Regardless of whether impeaching Trump is good for the economy or not, it is the moral and patriotic thing to do. When a president flouts the laws of the United States so egregiously, so repeatedly, and so brazenly; it is necessary to attempt the Constitutional remedy even when politically infeasible. To do otherwise is to abandon the Constitution and institutions of our democracy entirely.
1008
@Jim Brokaw
Spoken by somebody who isn't one of the vulnerable people in our society. What they need, rather than idealism, is to get Trump out of office. It is they, not you, who will pay the price.
16
@Travelers -- the vulnerable people in our society. Like those using "Obamacare", which Trump wants to replace with his "better, cheaper, wonderful" healthcare plan that nobody has ever seen, and never will? Like the vulnerable people whose children and grandchildren will be stuck paying off the deficits from Trump's "Tax Reform" that funneled 85% of the benefit to the 1%? Those vulnerable people? Trump needs to go. But we still need to enforce the laws of the United States, in everybody, including this president, the next president (whether Republican or Democrat) and the presidents after that. Letting Trump get away with his flouting the laws in the hope of preserving a chance to defeat him in November - when he has already been caught out trying to cheat in the 2020 election - is wrong. Impeach Trump if the investigation yields the evidence. Let the Republicans in the Senate go on record, before the public, with their defenses of Trump against the evidence, and the facts... and let them, too run on their records. The vulnerable people will not benefit more by ignoring Trump's lawbreaking when it happens.
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@Travelers
I'm sorry you can't see that principle goes hand in hand with a better society for all (except the super-rich).
50
Dr. Paul Krugman didn't mention the US-China trade war, the most significant trade negotiation in recent history. I think Dr. Krugman is correct in saying that business would be better if Trump is out the way. Any reasonable person will not hold a foreigner in the third country as a hostage or negotiable item in a trade negotiation. This creates bad feeling. Any other president would do better than Trump in dealing with China. Our farmers won't suffer, and our high tech chip industry won't stop growing. And most important of all, our scientific research & development won't stop exchange with the growing markets of innovation and experimentation. It is our loss as well as theirs.
1
Back in 2016 Paul Krugman assured anyone who would listen that the economy would tank if Donald Trump were elected. After witnessing record stock market highs, record low unemployment among blacks and hispanics and an economy that is the envy of the world I don't think anyone is listening to him now.
4
@tim k I respectfully disagree that Krugman predicted or wrote about the economy tanking...a quick look at his writing will tell you he predicted correctly...that the deficit would explode, that his maid objective was to undo anything and everything produced by the Obama administration, and the reduction in corporate taxes would go to stock buy-backs, not re-investment. Lets not be revisionists and pretend the economy was in the tank in 2016...it wasn't.
12
@tim k
Stock market highs that were artificially induced by the short term sugar high of corporate tax breaks that went to shareholder buy-backs and not to workers. Record unemployment of low wage, part-time, insecure jobs with unaffordable health care, and no protections. And I doubt that any other country in the world envies the U.S.'s 3 trillion dollar debt.
4
@tim k: Interesting that the points you make are simply repeating the White House's (factually challenged) talking points.
I thought I was watching 'FOX & Friends' for a moment.
1
It is true that Trump and his “best people” need to be profoundly distracted by an impeachment hearing. But then, since Trump can only seem to keep one or two ideas at play at any one time, this should do the trick.
4
Impeachment proceedings are indeed very probable now. But is far from sure that it will lead to an impeachment by the Republican Senate.
Still, the scrutiny linked to impeachment proceedings against Trump is more than welcome.
7
@SJP
"But is far from sure that it will lead to an impeachment by the Republican Senate."
I'm on a mission to educate commenters that the U.S. Senate has nothing to do with impeachment. That is in the purview of the House of Representatives. Once articles of impeachment have been drafted, these articles are sent to the Senate where they will vote up or down to actual removal from office, after what will be hopefully a healthy debate. Conviction or acquittal is the job of the Senate. Impeachment is the job of the House.
Please. Impeachment is not removal from office although it may lead to removal depending on what the Senate does.
8
Impeachment is not highly likely. And Paul has been wrong on every statement about the economy. Still waiting for that stock market crash?
3
@Jackson Actually, he's been right on almost every economic prediction for the past 10 years. He has not predicted that the stock market would "crash" and certainly not by today. Prof. Krugman, along with almost every other economist, is predicting that a recession is looking more likely - not definite - within the next year.
You should thank your lucky stars that it hasn't happened yet.
8
Prof. Krugman should at the very outset disclose that he is biased against the president Trump from the beginning of his campaign and that he will twist anything to make up theories to make Trump look bad. Trump bashing has become an economy in itself and has a market and therefore it is good for the economy of those in the media, and press who keep the dream of the democrats alive.
What would be good for the tax payers to know is whether one can get their hands on billions of dollars if you are not Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden. It will certainly help my economy not so much for padding my pockets but to support doing my research that could actually help humankind.
4
@Girish Kotwal I would expect such a view from Kentucky and if I were elected president i would divide the country up literally with republicans getting all the backward southern states democrats get western us=liberal now...independents midwest etc. etc. I certainly dont want to live near a Mike Pence evangelical fundamentalist so let's be truthful and move all the citizens around ??
@Girish Kotwal how about if you're Eric or Donald Trump, the sons of the President? That doesn't bother you?
Quite humorous. Now that the market has completely recovered from the dem takeover of the Hpuse, it is back to forecasting 5% growth for the whole economy, not just consume spending and government, Trump has given consumers confidence in a lower tax future no matter how hard krugman has strained to take that confidence away.
Soon, we will see state and local tax revenue growing at 7& plus and federal revenue growing at 10% plus. The impeachment will simply distract the collectivist hunger incited by all this wealth creation.
2
Quite humorous, indeed. Your numbers are a complete joke.
At best, you are conflating projected stock market growth with actual economic growth, as in GDP. The two are NOT the same.
The CBO, The Conference Board, Kiplinger, etc. all cite long-term GDP growth in the 2% range.
And please explain how a "lower tax future" leads to greater tax collection at both the state and federal levels. Because those tax revenue growth rates you cite are pure fantasy. That's like saying you're going to take a pay-cut so that you can spend and save more. It is mathematically impossible.
We have heard this supply-side snake oil pitch for the past 40 years. And when Republicans force-feed it to the nation, the outcome is always the same: a brief sugar high followed by exploding deficits and debt and an ever-widening wealth gap.
But it does explain how Trump managed to declare bankruptcy at least 6 times, including bankrupting a casino. He is an economics dunce.
That's why markets and businesses are already writing him off, because they know Trump's days are numbered and better days are coming.
6
@John Huppenthal : Just like it did in Kansas. right?
We had our semi-annual sit-down with our financial guru earlier this week.
While our little nest egg (think medium but not large chicken egg) hasn't grown to ostrich egg proportions it's still on the plus side. When we asked the guru, "Why?" he said he thought the market has discounted (ignored) Trump.
So, one very tiny data point to buttress your thesis.
"The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable." John Kenneth Galbraith
6
All fair points: But is anyone taking bets on how long it will be until the next hike in tariffs? It's usually just a couple days until the next escalation in the trade war is pursued to distract the electorate.
3
The market shrugged because it knows impeachment will only help Trump. It will make him a martyr, and drive away the independent voters who will decide the Electoral College in battleground states. As a general rule, voters hate chaos, and this will compound the chaos already prevailing in Washington.
In a recent Quinnipiac poll, 37% of all registered voters favor impeachment, while 57% are opposed. More tellingly, only 34% of independent voters are in favor, while 58% are opposed. https://tinyurl.com/y5ztlexe
Despite what many on the left say, impeachment is NOT required by the Constitution. It is a political process, not a legal one. Congress members have the power to impeach, but not the duty. Yes, they are sworn to defend the Constitution, but there is more than one path to that end. The Constitution does not require them to follow the impeachment path if it is not feasible.
For 2020, Democrats should have reprised their winning strategy of 2018, and focused on pocketbook issues, such as jobs, health care and taxes. Now, all the oxygen will be used up by impeachment, and the Democrats' best issues will be lost.
Leaving Trump’s fate to the voters in 2020 is dismissed on the left as mere "political expediency." Actually, it would be a reaffirmation of the role of citizens, who are the source of all political and legal legitimacy in a democracy. A big Democratic win would have been the most convincing way to send Trump packing. Now, however, such a win looks problematic.
4
"A big Democratic win would have been the most convincing way to send Trump packing. Now, however, such a win looks problematic."
You are assuming we have a fair election. Trump has already proven he will still to no low in order to win reelection and stay out of prison. There is absolutely no doubt Trump coasted on multiple foreign actors to win 2016.
4
@Ron Cohen
Your suggestion to rely on the election might be reasonable if the President were not immorally, illegally and unconstitutionally trying to use government policy to get foreign governments to interfere with our election again. His aim is to make a fair election impossible.
5
@Ron Cohen more recent polls show a majority for impeachment but your concern is noted!
I just hope that, if the economy does do well or improve, Trump doesn't get the credit despite his impeachment.
1
I agree with Paul and there are other strong reasons for pursuing the impeachment inquiry.
I think all this worry about impeachment stirring up the Trump base is just misplaced. Trump's base is permanently stirred up. They need no extra push. They will crawl out of a sick bed to vote for him. As he said, he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and not lose a single supporter. So Trump has 40% of the vote. They will turn out. That is a given.
The question is : what will stir up the anti-Trump and Democratic base? How do we get Obama like turnout? Even when he was leading in the Democratic race, Biden really inspired no one, even his supporters. Bernie did in 2016, but he is fading. Warren is now, but can she sustain it for over a year? How will the inevitable impeachment acquittal by the Republican Senate affect the anti-Trump turnout? Will voters be so appalled that they turn out the craven Republican Senators as well as Trump, or will they be so disgusted with the whole thing that they just stay home? Or will they be more disgusted by a craven failure of the Democratic House to act?
We are in totally uncharted territory here. House impeachment could cut either way. The best choice seems now to be _ "When in doubt, just do the "right" thing and hope for the best." The right thing now is clearly to continue with the impeachment process
9
I say the only thing that will fire up Trump supporters anymore would be all out civil war.
I disagree with Paul Krugman’s statement in his first sentence that Donald Trump believes “what’s good for Donald Trump is good for America.” Our selfish president actually has no real interest in what’s good for America.
Putting aside any quibbling with the first sentence, the premise of Paul Krugman’s column – that impeachment of Donald Trump will help the economy – is perceptive and correct.
The man in the White House has engaged in crony capitalism for large corporations and the wealthy in the form of tax cuts for the Republican donor class, but he has failed to produce any meaningful economic progress, gutted the community of apolitical government experts in a wide variety of fields and trashed the environment.
Paul Krugman uses a wonderful word, “hackification.” The word aptly describes the unrelenting Trump march towards incompetence in the federal government.
When a president is unqualified by inexperience and inability to focus, he feels more comfortable and less threatened if he drags down the overall quality of the people surrounding him.
23
"Impeaching Trump is Good for the Economy."
Agreed, Mr. Krugman. But let's not stop there, shall we? Let's consider all the ways impeaching Trump is good for us:
1.) It restores our sense of national decency.
2.) It promotes respect for honesty.
3.) It sends a warning to evil-doers everywhere.
4.) It lowers blood-pressure.
5.) It restores healthful sleep and combats insomnia.
6.) It puts a bounce in our step.
7.) It lifts our spirits.
8.) It puts a song in our hearts and a tiger in our tanks.
9.) It firms our jawlines and restores youthful elasticity to our skin and muscles.
10.) It builds strong bodies six ways.
11.) It increases mindfulness and undermines meanness.
12.) It is an example to the youth of our nation, and -- to the oldest -- a glass that fetes them.
13.) It is happening now.
14.) It is happening here.
15.) It is happiness poured from a political cornucopia.
16.) It is right.
17.) It is ethical.
18.) It is constitutionally mandated.
19.) It is necessary... and..
20.) It may well succeed.
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@Jimbo Reading this at just after 4 am with Morning Joe on in the background in Colorado I cannot sleep, I cannot even think of much else. I agree with you more than you could ever imagine. We want our lives back. Thanks to Paul for a good article.
21
@Jimbo Thank you for making me smile first thing in the morning! Impeachment investigation does restore some sense that there still can be ethics, professionalism and competence in our government.
9
Dr. Krugman, I respectfully disagree with your conclusion that an impeachment inquiry helps the economy.
It’s a distraction, as you pointed out. But the distracted ones are not the crony regulators, they are the rest of us. Impeachment is the Twitter-age equivalent of a reality TV show: riveting, personality-driven, and meaningless.
While members of the reality-twitter audience indulge ourselves in indignant outrage, the crony regulators will hustle to advance their agenda. The indignation is entirely justified, but that only makes the big show more riveting, not more meaningful.
A wiser course for good-government fans is to try to keep public focus on the meaningful stuff. Let’s not take the bait.
10
It will be a bit ironic for a career CIA officer to be the one who brings Trump to heel. Plus a Trump appointed Intelligence Inspector General who found the work of whistleblower to be credible and urgent. Credible after interviewing those identified to find they corroborated the contents of the complaint.
Once all is unpacked more than a few Senators may find defending a no vote for conviction in the Senate a heavy lift during the 2020 election season. Still waiting for DJT explanation for personally halting the aid fund for the Ukraine and what caused his change of heart. Little wonder the economy shrugs off no Trump.
14
Impeaching Trump would be good for the nation. But unless Democrats take the Senate in 2020, impeaching Trump will be a pyrrhic victory.
13
@Irving Franklin- Om my humble opinion, impeaching the president is merely an act of desperation by the Democrats who have nothing else to put on the table; pursuing Impeachment doesn't necessarily remove Trump from office. If they do succeed, their empty victory will likely come back to haunt them, nothing gained, and they'll end up defeated in the end.
2
@Irving Franklin If Trump is impeached then I would put money on taking the Senate.
1
This degradation of government is bad for business? Maybe it's good ---for giant corporations who subsidize our elections and call the shots in policy.
Corporations like small, weak govt for the citizen majority, to reduce citizen influence on lawmaking, and prevent govt spending on public services.
They like big powerful govt they can influence for their own benefit, to keep laws in support of increased profits. Bigger donor profits lead to bigger campaign donations for cooperative politicians.
They like strong political connections as they invest in our elections for good returns. We the People can't afford to compete.
Impeachment of a president that insults our country will set a healthy precedent of protecting We the People, It will help raise the standards of our democracy, so Americans can get the political input we deserve. Then get back the security and upward mobility that we were once famous for.
But all that is very 'left wing' isn't it ? At least per current standards in our political culture.
11
@Meredith: Lousy health care policy and courts run as extortion rackets are not good for business.
Although it's likely that a mild recession is already on the way,Trump's impeachment may have the effect of giving comfort to large investors.The stock market may actually go up as investors realize that Trump is on his way out.Crazy world.
13
@Iamcynic1
The market will not go up with Elizabeth Warren as the Democratic candidate. That is a guarantee.
1
What we don't need is for giant corporations to be better off, we need ordinary citizens to be better off.
The GOP and giant corporations have colluded to degrade the public sphere, and exalt private profit as 1st priority. That's why many politicians and media are in 2019 still too cautious to push for universal medical care.
The GOP has forced the Democrats to compete for big money to run. Can the Dems assert themselves now?
In any operating democracy, a govt elected by the citizen majority must impose justified regulations on giant corporations. These were were more accepted and centrist in past generations, when the middle and working classes were strengthening, not weakening. PK could explain how that worked, in contrast with today.
Giant corporations regulate us, if we don't regulate them. And we, not they, pay the taxes, for what public services we manage to have.
Without impeachment of this president and the necessary humilation of the GOP that slavishly supports him, a dangerous precedent will be set. It will further tear assunder our democracy. We will lack future protections. Then any swamp creatures that rise up to take power in our big money political system, can do whatever they want.
12
The issue is essentially whether Americans care about their Constitution and its framers concerns about exactly the kind of conduct Trump is accused of.
23
Whether it's good or bad for the economy, Donald Trump is quite unfit to be president.
He has little interest in governing. So far nothing too bad has happened. Before something terrible happens he should be removed from office.
Mueller report was sufficient to impeach & oust him. Democrats' incompetence and Barr's cunningness, with his horrible 4-page summary, that Mueller report became ineffective.
Now this whistleblower report, which is more concise and easy to understand, this is a great "opportunity" to impeach him. There's a small chance, about 25% chance for him to be convicted in the Senate, if responsible people don't mess it up.
The chances for electoral reverses in 2020 are minimal if any. I hope impeachment, therefore will happen.
14
A corallary to this notion is:
Why would a siting President with the power of incumbency and a “strong” economy think he needed to dig up dirt on his opponent to win, even going so far as illegally soliciting a foreign leader (actually extorting him) for the fake dirt?
Answer:
He knows his tax cuts were a flop and that his working class base will figure it by next fall.
62
The removal of that self obsessed classless dotard from high office will tell the world America has come to its senses and is ready to resume its role as a trusted partner in the global effort to leave a healthier planet to future generations. A jolt of good will like that can only be good for the US economy.
36
Perhaps the most interesting and important development yet was Trump saying this at his presser: "I think you should ask for VP Pence's conversations because he had a couple conversations [with Zelensky]."
Why would Trump seek to drop Pence in it like that? I can only think of one explanation: He's worried that Congressional Republicans, facing defeat in 2020, might seize on this scandal as an opportunity to ditch Trump. It's no secret they'd prefer Pence.
But if Trump makes it clear that Pence would go down with him, Congressional Republicans will fear to cooperate with impeachment, knowing it would lead to a President Pelosi.
I take this as a great sign but it should strike terror into Republicans. Because it's the first concrete evidence that Trump means to take the GOP down with him if he goes down.
Republican congressmen undoubtedly worried that Trump might one day exercise the "Samson option", deliberately leaving their party in ruins if it ditched him, but they put that thought out of their heads and went along. What fools. Of course he means to take them down with him. Trump is not the sort to leave anything standing when he's gone.
72
@OD My question exactly, why Pence? It was odd as to why he would toss Pence under the bus so quickly and with no real reason to even bring him up. I think you have it right. Trump, right now, is figuring out how to take down the whole Republican party if the party finally understands that Trump is a liability and not an asset and seeks to cleanse itself of him. You know he has no loyalty to anything except himself. Nixon resigned because he still believed in the Republican party and wanted to make sure it was not damaged by his actions. Trump, well, he doesn't care about the party, he doesn't care about anything except Trump. Heck, he would toss Baron under the bus if it benefited him. Hopefully the Republican party comes to realize that loyalty has to be a two way street and they will never, ever get that out of him. His bases will follow whatever Republican that they put in place of Trump, that base has nowhere else to go. Lord knows, that base would never, ever want to follow someone who would truly work for them, someone who would make sure they had health care and make sure their kids had access to affordable education. Strange times and I hope Pence understands he's been tossed under the bus even if I find the man not even close to my liking.
12
@OD If Pence goes who is going to pardon Trump after he is kicked out?
2
Thank you, Paul, for always being on top of every awful fiat this conman has used to enrich his own interests and ruin people’s lives since he won the electoral college. It’s ironic how most of his cult have no idea how much his awful policies have menaced their own financial security. You rock and rule.
19
Mr Krugman is usually pretty “right” in his predictions. The wheels of justice have ground slowly, but also seemingly fine.
6
Our relationships with other countries is in a shambles, even with the UK, where Boris Johnson plays one of Trump's evil twins — yes, there are so many, it's hard to keep count.
And, as PK likes to say, here's the thing: no one trusts Donald Trump to keep his word. Even when he sends his sycophantic loyalists — Pence, Mnuchin, Ross, Chao (she's in deep trouble), Pompeo, and now, even the maddest of the lot, Rudy Giuliani, to meet with our allies, those foreign leaders roll their eyes and count the silver before Trump's lackies leave for home.
While Trump wants to be Oz behind the curtain, pulling all the levers, his true calling has been to sing the lyrics for, "If I only had a brain."
17
Maybe I'm having a vision problem, but I really can't see much a downside to impeaching Trump. The nation is and will be better off when this swamp dwelling corrupt regime is flushed out of office.
28
Good viewpoint on why not do this now? "Buy the ticket; take the ride".
2
Mr. Krugman said the economy would crash the day Trump became President so I don’t find his predictions credible.
4
@Olivia Nope. Paul Krugman has been saying all along that he saw no recession coming. He foresaw much damage to various institutions, but no recession. Try again.
19
@Olivia Nice way to avoid actually dealing with his argument. If you have no response to a presented argument come up with a personal attack as a distraction. Does this also mean you never look at a weather forecast because they are not 100% correct?
19
@Olivia -- Maybe...but what you OUGHT to be concerned about is The War Against Competence. Here you'd have to deal with undeniable Facts, Olivia!
Get your point, Mr. Krugman, and it's a good one, but thinking about this same issue it occurred to me that impeachment might have the opposite effect: hide even more ongoing degradation and dismantlement of good governance behind the noisy distraction of impeachment proceedings.
Up to now Trump's own noise has been sufficient to take most of the public's attention away from the truly horrible things his hired hacks has done--to America's workers (see today's Scalia confirmation as Labor Secretary), to the environment, to our teetering healthhcare system, to LGBT and women's rights, to our courts, to Middle East peace, not to mention our relations with most other countries that don't happen to have a dictator at their head. And, as the saying goes, so much more.
Add impeachment furor to all this and the distraction will be even greater, the noise harder to penetrate, and I fear it might act to provide even more cover for the termites and rats Trump has installed to gnaw away the underpinnings and even the visible structure of good government--all those things any civil society depends on-- which are exactly those things Trump and his band of raiders like to call the Deep State.
15
I was thirteen when the New Yorker sent Hannah Arendt to Jerusalem to cover the Eichmann trial. The New Yorker was considered "high brow" so sending a philosopher to cover the trial of an architect of the holocaust may not have seemed that much of a risk.
I don't know if anybody was prepared for the outrage generated when Hannah Arendt talked about the banality of evil.The juxtaposition of banality and the holocaust was too much for the American audience. The defense of I was just following orders did not resonate with those that had just lost so much.
My grandfather had ordered all his children out of Europe in the twenties and my father had just finished Jesuit High School before he arrived in New York. My father understood the banality of evil and what Samuel Johnson meant when he said "Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels."
I understand my autism affects my empathy but I have been in distress since Reagan tore the solar panels off the White House and watching today's Republicans circle the wagons to defend a being whose lack of empathy inspiring loyalty often brings me to tears.
Even as I believe our economy is too big and needs to be shrunk not grown to be sustainable today's Trump loyalists frighten me more than the demise of the planet. The triumph of the banality of evil may put an end to the evolution of ever more empathetic human beings.
I can think of no worse dystopia than one in which; I was just following orders or following the law covers all bases.
152
@Montreal Moe Thank you for your profound insight. Anna Arendt will for ever be associated with that unfortunate remark. I am pretty sure it is not how she would have liked to be remembered. I endured Reagan and the launch of his election campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi, but I fell out of love with the country when the Supreme Courts stole the election from Gore. That, and Trump, are only the prelude of the approaching hurricane.
8
Somewhere in the White House is a safe with more stuff Trump has done and his staff fear identified as seriously compromising if publicized. The whistleblower’s report mentioned it. If Trump is impeached could we please see what’s in that safe? If could be the equivalent of Rosemary Wood’s hidden copy of Nixon’s 17 minutes. Enquiring minds want to know.
51
Three loosely connected thoughts:
(1) Trump will be in office till the day McConnell decides he's more of a liability than an asset.
(2) Memo to Republicans: Cut Trump loose or suffer the consequences in November 2020.
(3) I can imagine Romney seeing Trump's problems as an opportunity for another shot at the presidency.
55
This columnist has my utmost respect, but he does not have a crystal ball. So it might be prudent to hold off on predicting how the market will react beyond how it already has reacted to the first few days.
7
@polymath
It's not just the market but the entire economy,, particularly consumer confidence. In light of the depradations Trump and his adminstration have wreaked upon fair taxation, the deficit, reasonable and affordable health care and coverage,, trade relations, environmental protections, labor laws and union rights, impeachment proceedings may be looked upon as an economic boon.
14
@polymath
Professor Krugman seems to be commenting on the economy more than the markets.
2
@polymath -- No crystal ball...but it's interesting to consider his predictions....forecasts...with a grain of salt, as you would....but I want to KNOW what he's thinking!
1
First, the major news of the day: Trump has asserted that he has been spied upon and that the penalty for those involved should be death. This is our bracing reality. It is one thing to read about these things and watch them play out in other countries, but that it is *really* happening in the United States of America is truly terrifying.
"... impeachment ... has gone from highly unlikely to highly likely." The odds of impeaching Trump have skyrocketed to 62% on the popular betting website PredictIt. (We should consider that bookies have a vested interest in getting these odds right.)
And a little Trump history: "Look, it's being proven we have a rigged system ... this system, gonna be a lot of changes ... This is a sick system from the inside ... We've got a lot ... straightened out ... We have a rigged system in this country, and we have to change it. Terrible. Terrible. They're resisting progress. They're resisting change, because the only thing they really care about is protecting what they've been able to do, which is really control the country, and not to your benefit."
(From a rally at Pensacola, Florida; December 8, 2017)
Trump is now the subject of an impeachment inquiry for violations of the oath of office he took to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.
He apparently colluded with a foreign power to rig the 2020 election.
Let justice prevail.
92
@Blue Moon
We know he attempted to coerce a foreign power to rig the 2020 election. The foreign power apparently was smarter than him and did not collude.
10
Yesterday, the impeachment odds on PredictIt reached a high of 64 percent. Today they are at 62 percent.
PredictIt is a New Zealand-based prediction market that offers prediction exchanges on political and financial events. It is owned and operated by Victoria University of Wellington. PredictIt offers a Research Data Sharing program for professors. PredictIt has over 50 university partnerships. Some universities include Harvard University, Yale University, Duke University, and University of Pennsylvania. (from Wikipedia)
3
Well reasoned and well said.
17
Sooner the better. Trump has done enough damage to our country and the entire world within a short period. The emperor has no clothes. A shameless person with zero ethics or governance skill is unfit to serve our great nation. One can list thousands of egregious acts committed by him, his family and cronies. Law is a foreign word to him. In his head, everyone needs to abide by it except him, his family and cronies. For the same, he continues to put his opponents behind bar. Impeachment is just the beginning of his downfall. Many more illegal acts will come to the light. All of his ex- cabinet members who left Trump for his disgusting acts need to come forward. They have many hard truths to share. They will come out if they have any love for our nation.
27
The economy has historically done better under Democratic Presidents in terms of GDP growth, job creation, and stock market returns, a fact which Trump himself admitted in an interview.
Contrary to Trump mythology, Obama is no exception:
1. Job creation faster in Obama's last 31 months (6.8 million) than Trump's first 31 months (5.3 million).
2. Stock market cumulatively up 46% around this point in Obama's first term (trading day 658) vs. 29% for Trump.
3. GDP growth in Trump's first 10 quarters is 2.6% vs. 2.3% for Obama's last 10, but this will even out after the next quarter, as Obama has a 5.5% quarter coming into the calculation vs. around 2.0% likely in Q3 '19 for Trump.
4. The number of uninsured fell by 20 million during the Obama era, while it's up about 2 million under Trump due in part to his ACA sabotage.
5. Per CBO, Trump-era legislation will add around 50% to annual deficits 2018-2027 vs. the Obama baseline that Trump inherited, assuming the tax cuts are extended.
6. Another Republican canard is that somehow regulations hurt business. However, Trump's own OMB estimated that Obama-era regulations actually helped the economy to the tune of $100-$300 billion total over a decade.
Sources:
The Economist "Timing is Everything" (Aug '14)
NYT "Trump Can't Beat Obama on the Economy" (Aug '19)
CNN "From Reagan To Trump: Here's How Stocks..." (Aug '19)
Vox "Trump White House Quietly Issues Report Vindicating Obama Regulations" (Mar '18)
79
Perhaps the Trump regime will remind people that government regulation is much better for us all than "self-regulation." Leaving the Office of the President self-regulated has had much the same effect as leaving the financial markets had in 2007-2008: ever-increasing abuse leading to ruin.
Hardly unexpected - all Trump-run organizations crash and burn sooner or later. However, this time it's our country that Trump's destroying. Impeachment hearings should help make this clear to all but those too blinded by partisanship to face facts.
38
Hundreds of millions of both big and small celebrations will boost the world economy, competing with the global joy at the end of WWII. The end of disasters, plagues, famines, overthrown despots and war are all good reasons to spend. Start planning and save the date....
17
Trump never promised any infrastructure plan. He promised an "infastructure plan".
12
@HandsomeMrToad
Indeed! And using his excellent mastery of the English language, that was also quite unpresidented.
1
I'm probably naive in my hope that other whistleblowers will step forward to report criminal and ethical wrongdoing by Criminal Trump's cronies. If what they've witnessed in the past three years hasn't already motivated them to step forward, it's probably not going to happen. But it makes me wonder - are all the lawyers in the DOJ as corrupt as William Barr? Are all the generals in our armed forces as corrupt as those that line Trump's pockets with taxpayer cash? Are all the senior people in the State Dept. as transparently corrupt as Mike Pompeo? Are there any honest brokers left at the IRS? As a country, we are only as strong as our leadership. And right now, it's hard to find one honest man.
50
@Markymark
I've been wondering the same thing. But the IG report considered the whistleblower credible after investigating and getting corroboration. So, there is more than one still there. But the one who had the courage to step up still feels too rare in this administration.
8
@Markymark
OK then. Let’s elect an honest woman! Her initials are EW.
I agree impeaching Trump is good for the economy. Unfortunately, we cannot impeach him for economic reasons. Nice try!
2
@Kodali
Of course he can. His statement that trade wars are "easy to win" and its consequences are sufficent in themselves to impeach him. Not to mention the millions of dollars in taxpayer funds for his court challenges to Congressional subpoenas, profitng from the military stays in his resorts, shutting down the government for a wall for which he claimed Mexico would pay, his diversion of funds from FEMA and the military for that purpose, instructing Barr to file suit to overturn the ACA, and pressuring the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates perhpas to refinance his own indebtedness and artificially buoy up the stock market.
12
Good points, Dr. K, as always. How can we not move toward impeachment? Think. If no one does anything, it tells this president -- who we already know, by his own admission, has asked a foreign leader to help him win reelection -- that he can act with impunity. How do we know Trump hasn't already asked other governments for help? Think back to his George Stephanopoulos interview where he said he'd take dirt on an opponent if offered. If we don't impeach, we are just telling this crooked man he can get away with anything. Do we want to chance that?
33
Remember when a freshly sworn-in Donald Trump shoved Montenegro’s Prime Minister Duško Markovic out of the way at a NATO summit in Brussels in full view of fellow world leaders, television cameras and a plethora of journalists.
As it turns out, the visual and anecdotal evidence compiled along the way since then reveal our president to be astonishingly crass, criminal and ill-mannered in almost every way. The literal and metaphoric offspring of deep-pocketed commercial interests who care nothing for the well-being of anyone outside their inner circle, Trump and his family can do little to control themselves.
Democrats were very wise to bide their time, knowing that a generous leash on such a brashly confident cabal would eventually result in a gargantuan miscalculation.
One can only hope that the potential consequences of the current inquiry and what it might reveal about insider trading, market manipulation, misusing corporate resources, tax fraud, sexual harassment, obstruction of justice, treason, extortion, kickbacks, bribery, sex trafficking and racketeering will frighten Mitch McConnell sufficiently to force Trump’s resignation before the full scope of the investigation and impeachment ruins the careers of other Republicans who waited too long to get on the right side of history.
If he resigns now, Trump might save enough Republicans to earn Pence’s presidential pardon.
19
Trump may be unconventional, and he goes against the grain.
But down here in Dixie, we know which side our bread is buttered on...
1
@Nighthawk
That's not butter. It's Federal money from Blue States.
108
@Nighthawk
Dixie's bread has always been buttered on the wrong side of history.
18
@Nighthawk
Bread falls butter side down, again?
2
Trump has conducted his "war on competence" for nearly three years. And he has quite a success record for the damage he's caused in such a short time. From disastrous cabinet appointments to his pullout from the Paris Climate Accord, Trump has created a trail of devastation, the likes of which this nation will take decades to recover from.
And the area in which Trump has caused the most destruction? The rule of law. What is absolutely sickening to me, as an attorney for forty years now, is that Trump actually has attorneys helping him dismantle our system of shared power upon which this nation was founded. He has attorneys toadying to him, who are no more than collaborators in his efforts to consolidate absolute power and rule as this nation's first dictator.
And so it is no exaggeration to state that his greatest act of destruction is our democracy itself. And while some of his cabinet members may cause damage through their profound ignorance, Trump is quite literally, intentionally destroying any semblance of the democracy this nation once was. He will do anything to retain absolutely power. And he has some 40% of our citizens who love his hatefulness, his willful ignorance and would literally partake in any destructive acts that he would have them do.
Is this impeachment too little, too late? Probably. History shows that dictators rarely leave peacefully. And those of us who are sickened by this regime must be willing to pay a price to try to save our nation.
19
@Charles Dodgson
Some of his cabinet members are causing damage intentionally and more or less knowledgeably. Don't underestimate them.
13
We know that this sad petty little man will blame the Democrats for the paralysis you forecast. Here’s the solution: the Democratic controlled House should, notwithstanding the impeachment inquiry, approve lots and lots of bills on subjects that matter to Americans. Send them over to the Senate, where they will die under the watchful eye of Moscow Mitch. This won’t stop the abominable one from trying to blame the Democrats for the “paralysis” supposedly resulting from the impeachment proceedings, but the substantive response to this (“here are all of the bills that have passed this chamber after impeachment began”) will make his accusations all the more ludicrous.
19
There is one other benefit that getting rid of Trump and his bevy of corrupt swamp denizens will bring to America. Until recently, there has been a gradual expansion of executive power and this trend reached its zenith with Trump, an autocrat who is more dictator than democrat, who has made over the federal government in his image: the Supreme Court, the Senate, the Department of Justice, and the State Department ---all instantly obedient to his every whim and command. Now with the impeachment revelations comes the realization that Trump is a corrupt abuser of power. Not a good idea to load so much power on one man. The expansion of power in the executive branch will stop and hopefully regress, and we may once again have a citizen president with limited power who governs by consent rather than by command.
9
@shimr
Don't hold your breath. Every President takes all the powers grabbed by predecessors and adds to them, and Congress does nothing to stop it except once every few decades, while the presidents find ways to get around Congress's attempts by changing the meanings of words in the laws, by claiming new privileges never enacted (like "executive privilege" and "state secrets") and simply ignoring the law (like Wilbur Ross on Trump's tax returns and Maguire on the whistleblower report).
4
I think President Trump is doing a good job working for his voters: they do not know anything and he elevates that to a respected position; they just hate being told what to do no matter what and he takes a meat ax to every regulation he can; the do not like to pay taxes for the commonweal and he has forced through a big tax cut on the wrong people; they do not like immigration and he has ultimately reduced immigration; they pray for more conservative judges and he has delivered some; they want to go back to a golden if imaginary past and Trump has tried at every turn to turn the country backward. For Trump’s supporters, delusional as they are, he supports them with parallel delusions of his own. They do, it care in any way, shape, or form if he commits illegals acts - in his position they would do the same if not worse. For all the brilliant mathematicians who practice the arts of economics and their fans, who are most comfortable boiling down the world of humans to numbers, I have just two numbers for you: 25 45. He’s a dangerous fruitcake.
12
Could not have said it better myself. Thanks Paul.
10
the rout should include the exit of all his picks and the mandatory repayment [in money and assets] of all they have cost the country. then they should all be jailed.
12
"...driving out people who know what they’re doing and replacing them with political hacks."
Good grief, I just realized that this is exactly what Bush did in Iraq! Republican hacks running the place ruined it. That scares me now about what this so-called administration is doing.
7
@Sam D
Oops. You're right.
I think the world will let out a sigh of relief when someone other than this clown isn't throwing random volatility into the markets with his every whim.
11
Well the impeachment is also good in order to bring comfort to and strengthen the battered soul of this nation. Trump has attacked the democratic values of America in a way that no other president (save perhaps Nixon) has done. Many who believe in due process were hesitant to push the button regarding his criminal behavior. But this latest act of a corrupt president along with his utter lack of remorse has touched a raw nerve. The very thought of impeaching him, regardless of the outcome, is like a healing balm to those who dearly love the ideals that America stands for. When a man attacks that it is the last straw. Trump has to go.
14
Conservative ineptitude will not stop with Trump. He's a symptom not the cause.
Nikki Haley, Pence, Tom Cotton, Cruze etc would attack good governance. They would attack good data. They would vote to means test SS/MED. They would drool over the 1% at the expense of the bottom 50%. They would deny climate change.
If you look at Twitter tonight you are seeing some of the craziest conspiracy theories floated by "con" intellectuals. It is truly amazing. The bottom keeps moving downward by these folks.
9
Business leaders vs Really rich people.
Maybe now we see this one play out.
1
I agree. Putting a stop to the GOP's "war on competence" is probably a positive outcome of the impeachment inquiries but we must hope that over the next 15 months that there are no environmental catastrophes, pandemics, economic stresses or major military conflicts.
Over the 15 months remaining before the new federal government is formed much the energy of government will be invested in the impeachment process and the 2020 election and we may also be involved in major fights in the Courts, which are now more politicized and conservative leaning. (Your column did not mention the GOP's success in appointing jurists).
I hope Democratic strategists will use this 15 months to define problems and develop policy responses that will address the major economic and social challenges that we face in the World. I particularly want us to think through how we can improve the whole world's standard of living and address huge challenges like global warming, providing non-fossil energy at a global scale to meet the needs of a world society of about 10 Billion people that want a better quality of life and access to a better future.
Climate deniers and climate activists must start to agree and work together to transition from fossil fuels to energy sources that will sustain our descendants indefinitely. There are very promising new renewable energy sources that if implemented, will sustain modern civilization. Otherwise humanity will soon be history, with no one left to appreciate it.
6
@james jordan
How, exactly, does one work with climate deniers?
4
@Ann
Thank you for reading my comments. I think deniers need to be carefully educated on the evidence that greenhouse gas emissions are directly connected to global warming. In other issues one observes that it is effective to educate children and through them get to the parents.
I also feel that "deniers" are oftentimes connected to the fossil fuel industries and they feel economically threatened by the proposed shift to non-fossil energy sources.
Climate activists argue correctly that fossil fuel use is environmentally destroying the Earth.
Climate Change deniers argue fiercely, but incorrectly, that Climate Change is natural and we can keep on burning fossil fuels forever.
Activists and deniers are both missing the key point. Fossil fuels will not last forever.
However, modern civilization cannot survive without massive amounts of LOW-COST- accessible energy. Fossil fuels will not sustain humanity in the long term. They will soon run out, not in the next 10 years, but probably in the next 100.
According to the 2017 British Petroleum Statistical Review of World Energy, at present consumption rates, proven reserves of oil will run out in 50 years, natural gas in 52 years, and coal in 153 years. With 11 Billion people and today's American consumption rates, only 8 years for oil, 9 years for natural gas, and 25 years for coal.
I believe we can invent cheap and accessible solar electrical systems and there is potentially cheap energy in geothermal sources.
Elections are about money over 6 billion in 2016, this is a way for trump to reach into the barely over 150,000 pocketbooks of his supporters and tap it for a contribution since he lost so many big spenders.
3
If you want to see what really worries the Big Money boys, it’s not President Trump - it’s the prospect of President Warren.
Good.
Between tax cuts and deregulation, Trump has been giving them what they want. A dysfunctional government may be bad for business in some ways - but only for those interested in running their companies on the up and up according to the rule of law.
The scammers, grifters, and other opportunists welcome government dysfunction that allows them to cut corners and evade oversight.
If the movers and shakers don’t seem to be bothered by impeachment and crippled government, well perhaps that tells us who is the dominant force in the economy.
29
Thank you, Dr. Krugman. I could use some good news about now. BTW-Can't Congress protect Agriculture Department’s Economic Research Service office and employees from having to move? Hopefully there's a legal case and other types of U.S. House oversight scrutiny going to bat for these dedicated career employees.
25
You’re right: Trump’s being impeached, and the markets aren’t plummeting. How will Trump and his supporters explain THAT to the base?
41
“But this administration isn’t normal.” And don’t you think normalcy is what the movers and shakers of our economy crave? And what this impeachment in its own way represents—a reaffirmation of the norms, the institutions, the rules of law that ground our society and thus stabilize our economy?
Trump touts the current good economy as due to him and him alone. But it looks more like our economy—set back on track by Obama after the subprime crisis—has done well despite Trump rather than because of him. Somehow we’ve managed to stay on that track despite the chaotic twists and turns of this mercurial man, one whose decision making is grounded in nothing so much as the gratification du jour of his own insatiable ego.
For all the upheaval impeachment might precipitate in a different time, a different presidency, this one may be precipitating a small, hopeful sigh of relief: Our institutions are holding—at least for now. Maybe, just maybe our country will return to normal after all.
20
The Cayman Islands are one of the most well-known tax havens in the world.
"One was a big tax cut for corporations and the wealthy that will generate trillions in deficits but doesn’t seem to have done much for the economy." I respectfully disagree!
The Cayman Islands are well-known tax havens for the wealthy and corporations. They always benefit from Good Ole Greed!
"The other was an attempt to take away health insurance from around 30 million Americans, which didn’t pass."
Just think of our Funeral Industry and our street pushers. Who needs pharmacies and hospitals? Can't they get a fair shake.
Humor is a defense mechanism. We can use any and all mechanisms to protect us from our resident narcissist, DJT.
There are cracks in our economy that should be addressed. Many states and their pension plans are under water. The South Florida condo market is near collapse and is often a precursor to a national collapse- about 6 - 9 months later.
We have high employment, but "welfare" someplace else might be a better choice for many. The cost of living is irrational in some parts of our nation.
We have a looming problem with seniors retiring. Many might have thought they had enough, but extremely low rates on safe investments morphs the concept of wealth into a joke.
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@Texan Older workers hopes and realistic expectations for the growth of their 401K plans have been shattered, destroyed. Low interest rates have caused an explosion in Real Estate Prices. We have yet to pay the piper for this chaos and depravity. So, will gladly write the page in history for Cadet "Sharpie" Bone Spurs. It will be brief - Name, Date of Birth, Date of Death. Then a brief sentence - this page left blank intentionally.
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Paul Krugman, you're right, but the problem is Trump supporters. If Trump says the economy is tanking or the wall is built, they believe it. Your article is great but the people who should read it never will.
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Yes impeachment of the immoral Mr Trump will be good for the economy. It will keep his incompetent appointees mostly away from the competent civil servants, like the one who filed the whistle-blower complaint. There are 22 Republican senate seats up for grabs in 2020. The House will provide a compelling case to the senate for his removal from office(if Trump doesn't resign first), each one who votes innocent for Trump can kiss their senate seat goodbye.
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@John... Trump will never resign.
@John
You think? Look at ellen’s Comment above yours and Erik’s below.
What depresses me most about Trump is that he still has so much support, among lawmakers and citizens.
How can so many people be so uniformed and uncaring?
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@Erik Frederiksen Some people realize they made a mistake in 2016. But among them are those who will never admit it. Most folks, when they make a mistake, they admit it and then move to fix it. Not all that hard to scrape the Trump/Pence bumper stickers off your cars and trucks. That folks starts you down the road to redemption.
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@Erik Frederiksen; A good 35 percent of our population has always been intrinsically mean-spirited, violent, and racist. No reason to get depressed. That's just the way it is.
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@Erik Frederiksen
We have far more traitors in this country than anyone could have imagined before Trump's victory.
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It is not the economy which allows our civilization. It's the relatively stable Holocene climate receding quickly in the rear view mirror.
Impeaching Trump is good for the climate.
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Trump has mounted a war on civilization, and has been bullying his agenda through for nearly three years.
I hope that you are correct in your belief that his impeachment may slow these scorched earth (literally) policies, policies that have gone against everything that America has stood for.
What goes around comes around, Donald.
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Just what is the goal and endgame of the "destruction of the administrative state" crowd anyway? And why?
This in fact keeps me awake on occasion...just where are we going?
I have a good 20 years left, give or take, and I would appreciate it not being ruined by these awful republicans.
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@caljn
One Word: Oligarchy.
That's what they're aiming at.
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Good for the economy and good for Trump. Not a good trade-off.
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yes, this process is good for the economy and thus good for Trump. so bad idea (see David Brooks piece)
Even compared with Trump, Nixon was no paragon of good governance. You are ignoring the recent finding of researchers at the Nixon Library which conclusively proves what LBJ long ago suspected. During the 1968 campaign Nixon had surreptitious communications with North Vietnam informing it that he would give them a better deal than LBJ was offering in the peace talks taking place at the time.
This action by Nixon is highly likely to have constituted treason in the constitutional and statutory sense of the word. While Trump's conduct has been uniformly reprehensible, I know of no serious allegation that he has been treasonous in the constitutional or statutory sense.
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James, would add that, think it was in Ken Burn’s Vietnam documentaries, that LBJ knew what Nixon had done but didn’t confront or call out Nixon. Think it had something to do with secret bugging devices, and Johnson not wanting Nixon to know how he found out?
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@James Masciandaro In Updegrove's biography, Indomitable Will, the author suggests that LBJ suspected but could not prove what Nixon was doing.
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Impeachment: It’s the competent thing to do.
Catchy, and completely accurate.
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He’s damaged goods at this point. The harder his fall, the better for our country.
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"...An impeachment inquiry will surely have a chilling effect on the Trumpian project of government degradation. It may not come to a dead halt, but Trump’s team of cronies will be distracted; they will be less brazen..."
Less brazen, or the exact opposite? It is to soon to tell. And if they just become more brazen, which side will gain the electorate's vote in the end? I'm not as confident of the answers as Dr. Krugman is.
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@Joe
More brazen gets them more attention, which they don't want. The worst kleptocrats in the news have resigned or been fired or forced out because of their scandals. Now it is trump's turn and his impeachment is a shot across the bow of the entire fleet of crooks. They won't have Trump as cover (he'll be busy covering himself)
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In his article today on the Impeachment question, David Brooks makes very good points. Further, most of Trump's supporters have known for years that Trump is a louche character unfit to hold office. Highlighting his unfitness through long, cumbersome House Impeachment hearings before the 2020 Presidential Election, therefore, adds little.
Rather, the buzz of Impeachment hearings would drown out positive messages highlighting important program & administrative reforms worthy of votes of current Trump supporters that Democrats must offer if the anxious, angry & nihilist frame of mind that prompts votes for Trump is to be addressed.
Further, removing Trump by popular vote in 2020, rather than by Impeachment, is the remedy that will best begin to heal the US political scene.
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I note that the arguments against an impeachment inquiry include: a) the public doesn’t care and only wants to hear about issues and b) impeachment inquiries drown out any discussion of issues because it’s all people care about. It’s hard to see how both can be true at the same time.
Rather the debate over issues is informed by Trump’s corruption and “transactional” ethics highlighted by the inquiry. Why are we really defending Saudi Arabia? Why are tariffs unevenly applied? Why are tax cuts handed out the way they are? It looks like corruption and Trump self interest is the motivation behind the policies. We no longer give Trump the benefit of good faith belief in the public interest in policies.
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@bob adamson
Democrats have been offering programs and policies all along that would benefit Trump voters as well as the rest of us but McConnell has buried them in the Senate basement. Democrats will remind people of this throughout impeachment hearings and, of course, voting Trump out is wholly compatible with impeachment hearings that show just how corrupt he is. I for one am looking forward to Trump on national TV forced to answer questions without a teleprompter or a rehearsal - everyone will see that he can't put together a sentence that makes sense.
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@Yeah
Is it not doubtful that the matters mentioned in your second paragraph would be at issue to any meaningful extent in House Impeachment hearings centred on the Ukraine/US Presidents' saga before the 2020 elections?
While the matters you list should be of interest & concern to all thoughtful persons of your country, is it not true that many are simply not interested in these matters &, rather, have a mistaken impression that President Trump stands up for their interests, that 'the elites' are trying to remove Trump from office by raising these matters for their own selfish purposes, & that they, 'the people' should, therefore, ignore the allegations & stand by their President?
Mightn't Impeachment hearings over the next 12 or so months, play into the hands of Trump & his circle in light of the foregoing points?
I say this not because Trump shouldn't be removed from office if that were possible, but only because (a) the only practical route to this end is the 2020 General Election, &
(b) Impeachment hearings at this time might well prove counterproductive to that end unless numerous GOP Members of Congress join in support of Impeachment.
I always wonder who Trump thinks he's is talking to when the predicts a market crash if he's impeached or not reelected? His supporters, in the great majority, don't own stocks, and in any case, didn't seem to notice they didn't received a single cent from his tax cut, so that leaves the plutocrats. How many votes do they cast or even control?
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@stan continople
"...so that leaves the plutocrats. How many votes do they cast or even control?"
They control the Republican Party AND the Supreme Court (and, increasingly, the lower courts), so votes mean a lot less than we might think in our 8th-grade-civics-class-naivete. And when the elections of the future are deliberately corrupted by you-know-who and thrown to the courts, who do you think will prevail, the voters or the plutocrats?
Thank you, Dr. Krugman. I just read David Brooks' column. So was especially grateful to read yours. The Democrats were finally, finally, finally pushed beyond their limit of swallowing the constant abuse of our democracy and constitution. And world leaders will doubtless welcome some stability in our governance if it comes to that.
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@A I too just came to Krugman from Brooks, and I feel exactly the same way as you. We desperately need a cataclysmic disruption of the cataclysmic disruption that is trump, a shake-up that actually gives us repose or at least a partial break from the new norm trump has foisted upon us. I especially like how Krugman foresees a collateral benefit from an impeachment process. Where Brooks would shush Democrats for being elitists, for calling attention to what he claims most of America doesn't care about, Krugman sees at least one pretty reliable way of stopping trump in his tracks. trump and the Republicans got us into this mess, so why pay any heed to a Republican apologist. With the prospect of impeachment, Democrats finally seize control of at least some agenda.
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@A
Regrettably, your's is a position taken by those that for some time have been convinced the Trump is unfit to be President, but most of those who continue to support him are not moved by the matters you cite to turn against him.
The standoff deepens & this is not in the interests of those wanting Trump removed from office in the 2020 election.
1
@bob adamson
On the contrary, it is very much in the interest of those wanting to get rid of Trump in the election.
I can't understand the people who, though well meaning, don't understand that failing to try to impeach is surrender, giving this and future presidents carte blanche.
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Yes, distracting from the ongoing destruction of a functioning government, (the National Weather Service, fergawdsakes!) is a positive aspect of a negative action. Perhaps the impeachment proceedings can act to freeze-in-place the Trump "government" until the election, thus reducing the damage.
One takes some pleasure imagining future Trump phone calls with the president wondering about who's listening in and taking it all down.
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@Ralph Averill
I don't think Trump will be making many calls in the near future.
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@JPD he can't help himself, plus he thinks he is untouchable.
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I am here as Master Commander of the Deep State to say:
Do not fear, we will have this little problem solved shortly.
Meanwhile, please keep your seatbelts on, as there will no doubt be some turbulence ahead.
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@Steven, are you trying to tell us it's going to be a bumpy ride? Or a bumpier one than it's been lately?
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Trump's efforts are actually a war on truth. If there are no honest brokers(experts) then Trump's narrative is the only one being discussed.
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@jim to late. Spend a day listening to Fox. Truth died long ago.
I listened to Kelly Ann Conway this evening on the PBS Newshour, God, talk about incompetence. The war on competence hasn't slowed yet Paul.
The question to her had to do with moving the phone conversation onto the super secret computer, and the "lock down" instructions by the White House attorneys.
Response. Well it's in the report! So, she implies it's ok because it's in the whistleblower report.
Honest to goodness, these people are lost.
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@cherrylog754 Thank you for reporting on the PBS interview of Ms. Conway. It spares me from wasting nearly 10 minutes of my day. Like the multitudes who can't bear to hear or see Mr. Trump, for me Kellyanne Conway is a close runner-up to her boss, ever since she publicly espoused "alternative facts."
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@cherrylog754
I heard a journalist who wrote a book about Mike Pence on NPR yesterday. He was saying the Kelly Ann Conway is an important part of the Pence entourage and would play a role in a Pence administration. Something to think about.
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@cherrylog754: Good for you that you can actually stomach listening to that liar for one second. I DVR my shows so I can skip through whatever the latest blathering lies are being spewed out by Trump lackeys. They truly live I an alternative universe called Trumplandia, where everything right is wrong and up is down and their Dear Leader is never, ever wrong, even about hurricanes. SMH.
3
The Republican Party cannot survive in the short-term if it abandons Trump. The Republican Party cannot survive in the long-term if it sttands behind Trump through the impeachment process and the 2020 election cycle. Unfortunaely, if Trump and the Republicans take the Presidency and the Senate in 2020, they will take the country down with them. Regarding your right to vote, it will be use it or lose it in 2020.
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@MVonKorff
Use it or lose it is already in effect in Ohio, where SCOTUS said it was legal to cull its voter rolls of people who fail to appear at the polls and who then fail to respond to a notice.
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@MVonKorff well he’s already admitted to having no problem with foreign governments tampering with our election, so why should we believe that he could win fair and square? He knows he can’t. He didn’t win fair and square in 2016. Florida was mentioned in the Mueller report at least 30 different times. Of course that means there was interference there. I wish Robert Mueller had done a better job presenting his report to the public. Trump would’ve already been impeached and we’d be having a national discussion about the integrity of our elections right now.
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@Claire Elliott
You mean SCOO, right? Supreme Court of Ohio. We must keep our acronyms straight as the ship of state sinks slowly into the abyss. I should know. I'm from North Carolina.
8
I figured the stock market would see this as a sign of potential certainty and stability and move upwards.
At least, Congress may finally check some of the insanity, and
try to restore some semblance of checks and balances. I believe the markets would welcome that as a hopeful sign.
Next step would be some rollback on presidential power, starting with trade and tariffs. Hello, Congress? Read the Constitution?
22
We need a comprehensive, exhaustive big book of damage control and repair. A department-by-department inventory of hack appointments, dereliction of duty, regulatory rollbacks, intimidation, falsification, data tampering, sabotage, improper influence, corporate favors.
We need names, titles, audits, record reviews, expense reports, no-bid contracts, consultants, logs, lobbying contacts, White House instructions, internal communications, etc.
We need the fossil record, a list of perpetrators, damage assessment.
We need a deck of cards like the Army had in Iraq to ID the top targets for full accountability and justice.
We can't repeat the sub-prime financial crisis when the most culpable were the least punished.
I'm eager to see the longest perp parade in US history, with Mick Mulvaney and Stephen Miller in handcuffs led from the White House escorted by US Marshals.
It's early days still but the catharsis of democracy threatened and now a glimmer of redemption at cliff's edge feels like July 4th at its most authentic.
Now the other whistle blowing we hear is Trump walking past the graveyard.
God Bless America.
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@Yuri Asian
Right again! The GOP had its book of appointees and its ideas for forcing out competence. Decent government requires payback in the form of dismissal of hacks and (this is just a wish) jail terms for many of their leaders.
19
@Yuri Asian I have been thinking the same since the sham of 2016. Our Constitution and institutions are just not working. The US is far far behind where it should be due to these corrupt individuals in every department.
9
@Yuri Asian
Wow, you nailed it!
The only deterrent is to hold every last criminal accountable, out on full display for every US citizen to witness.
11
It's more than a war of "competence;" it's a war on honesty. Trump has successfully corrupted the Departments of Justice, State, Education and Commerce along with the Environmental Protection Agency. Now with both Attorney General William Barr and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo involved in the conspiracy with Ukraine to get "dirt" on the Bidens we have moved beyond having a kakistocracy to, as former F.B.I. Director James Comey said, an old-fashioned mob operation headed by The Don and his consigliere Rudy "The Mouth" Giuliani. Impeachment may be good for the economy, but it is essential for our democracy and its Constitutional rule of law.
766
@Paul Wortman-The more I learn, the more shocking it becomes. Justice Department AJ William Barr and Criminal Division Assistant AG Brian Benczkowski--who vetted the Mueller Report making redactions--both worked for law firm Kirkland & Ellis which represents Russia's Alpha Bank and a long list of Russian oligarchs including Oleg Deripaska, Viktor Vekselberg, and Alexander Mashkevich. There's about a dozen lawyers from Kirkland & Ellis who hold key positions in the government & WH. Ditto the Jones-Day firm which has also represented powerful Russian interests.
https://www.newsweek.com/so-many-conflicts-so-little-time-1396435
https://legalschnauzer.blogspot.com/2019/04/william-barrs-ties-to-russia-via-dcs.html
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@Paul Wortman: You forgot the Supreme Court is now also compromised and hopelessly partisan.
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@Ann
Kitkland Ellis was my first legal job as a summer intern. Next year it was kicked off Harvard Law School's campus for overt racism. I knew the black woman who was the target very well -- she was on my floor and a model of integrity and not oversensitive -- so I knew it to be as credible a charge as I might ascertain not having been in the room.
And years after I left -- well, don't forget the head of the Clinton inquisition team, Ken Starr, was a Kirkland Ellis man. (And his swarmy right hand man, Kavanaugh, having perjured himself in front of the Senate, now sits on the Supreme Court.)
I, happily, never went back.
25
The plutocrats will keep chugging along no matter what happens to Trump. The Senate confirmation of anti-labor lawyer Eugene Scalia as the new labor secretary is doubtlessly making the Market very happy, what with his long history of defending corporations against workers and fighting regulations that protect the rights and health and safety of workers.
So impeachment cuts both ways, both distracting the Trumpies and distracting the rest of us as it becomes the latest media spectacle. Even in the unlikely event he is removed from office, the lives of ordinary people will not improve as a result.
The planet will continue frying, drowning and suffocating. Assault weapons and violence will proliferate and spread. Tens of millions of people will keep going broke and dying prematurely due to the lack of the kind of guaranteed health care enjoyed by every other advanced nation.
Police will continue killing an average of three people every day. Congress woll continue funding forever-wars and about 800 military bases around the globe. America will still incarcerate more people than anyplace else on earth.
What our ruling elites call American Exceptionalism should really be called American Deviance.
.
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@Katie Taylor. Good point. Personally, given the horrific shadow that those who value democracy have been living under for nearly 3 years it's hard for me to remember past Sunday.
19
@Karen Garcia Attempting to do the right thing even when it may not achieve a clear result is not a waste of time; it is the right thing to do.
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@Karen Garcia - I hate to say this, but how many Americans do you think would have known about Scalia's appointment and its implications if the news *wasn't* full of the impending impeachment? I often find myself now talking with people who don't remember things that happened a month ago. Donald Trump has been running enough of a sideshow distraction to deaden the perceptions of even smart, informed people. We really have nothing to lose.
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Krugman makes a great defence of the public service in general. After 40 years of pro-market policies suggesting public servants are always wrong and the "market" is always right, that lie is now out.
Markets do not "think", and politicians, even were they sensible and aiming for the public interest (which few are these days - name me where), they need the solid, "fearless" expertise behind them. The Australian PM has tried to blame the public service for all the many horrors of the right-wing government here. Trump exemplifies all that.
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Yes the 7 lobbyist lackeys Trump/McConnell installed to run major agencies are in the process of serving the interests of the industries they were set up to oversee. A return to the gilded age does not help the country address the income disparity that has gotten worse than ever under Trump while the 1% has never had it so good . THe 1% and Jeff Bezos were not hurting financially and did not need a tax cut our crumbling infrastructure need repairs that the trillions passed out to the rich and power would have been better use of tax payer funds. Trump wants to be the boss of AMerican oligarchs getting his cut the way Putin does that is Trump's dream to rule as Putin and have his family installed as royalty.
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@REBCO. The income disparity is part of the Trump team's economic program. Educated people tend to have higher incomes and most have the discernment to recognize a would be king and dictator for what he is.
18