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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPaul Krugman blog- No Bain, No Gain
July 14, 2012, 8:25 AM
There is, predictably, a mini-backlash against the Obama campaigns focus on Bain. Some of it is coming from the Very Serious People, who think that we should be discussing their usual preoccupations. But some of it is coming from progressives, some of whom are apparently uncomfortable with the notion of going after Romney the man and wish that the White House would focus solely on Romneys policy proposals.
This is remarkably naive. I agree that the awfulness of Romneys policy proposals is the main argument against his candidacy. But the Bain focus isnt a diversion from that issue, its complementary. Given the realities of politics and of the news media, as Ill explain in a minute any critique of Romneys policies has to make use of his biography.
The first point is that voters are not policy wonks. They do not go to the Tax Policy Center website to check out distribution tables. And if a politician cites those distribution tables in his speeches, well, politicians say all kinds of things.
Nor, alas, can we rely on the news media to get the essentials of the policy debate across to the public and not just because so many people get their news in quick snatches via TV. The sad truth is that the cult of balance still rules. If a Republican candidate announced a plan that in effect sells children into indentured servitude, the news reports would be that Democrats say that the plan sells children into indentured servitude, with each quote to that effect matched by a quote from a Republican saying the opposite.
more
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/14/no-bain-no-gain/
ProSense
(116,464 posts)lunatica
(53,410 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,709 posts)They may be Lieberman types in disguise.
Amonester
(11,541 posts)Thanks!
DearAbby
(12,461 posts)THERE ARE NO FUCKING RULES!!! You have to get in the gutter with these assholes to fight them...Let's go!