Paul Krugman rips into Bernie Sanders for becoming one of his own “bros”

[pantsonfire]

From Wiki "Income Inequality":

Economists Jared Bernstein and Paul Krugman have attacked the concentration of income as variously "unsustainable" and "incompatible" with real democracy.

Paul Krugman wrote in November 2014 that: "The basic story of political polarization over the past few decades is that, as a wealthy minority has pulled away economically from the rest of the country, it has pulled one major party along with it...Any policy that benefits lower- and middle-income Americans at the expense of the elite — like health reform, which guarantees insurance to all and pays for that guarantee in part with taxes on higher incomes — will face bitter Republican opposition." He used environmental protection as another example, which was not a partisan issue in the 1990s but has since become one.

http://www.salon.com/2016/04/08/paul_krugman_rips_into_bernie_sanders_for_becoming_one_of_his_own_bros/

From the beginning, many and probably most liberal policy wonks were skeptical about Bernie Sanders. On many major issues — including the signature issues of his campaign, especially financial reform — he seemed to go for easy slogans over hard thinking. And his political theory of change, his waving away of limits, seemed utterly unrealistic.

Some Sanders supporters responded angrily when these concerns were raised, immediately accusing anyone expressing doubts about their hero of being corrupt if not actually criminal. But intolerance and cultishness from some of a candidate’s supporters are one thing; what about the candidate himself?

Unfortunately, in the past few days the answer has become all too clear: Mr. Sanders is starting to sound like his worst followers. Bernie is becoming a Bernie Bro.

But in any case, the way Mr. Sanders is now campaigning raises serious character and values issues.

[Armstead]

1. Paul Krugman -- Macho Man or Delicate Flower?

He loves to come across as Mr. Tough Guy while castigating Sanders and his supporters, but then he whines about those mean old Bernie Bros.



(I love this graphic. It's so......unsettling)

[pantsonfire]

3. He's a floral tool...

...going after someone like that is beneath him, especially when it's clear that he think income inequality is a huge problem.

[QC]

13. Hillary does the same thing, though.

She's a valkyrie clad in a bodice of steel, ready to take that 3:00 A.M. phone call and keep the world safe for democracy, but she's also a delicate flower whose views and qualifications must never, ever be discussed critically.

It's hard keeping up with which of those she might be at a given moment.

[pantsonfire]

14. Is that adaptability a strength or weakness as president? or Both? n/t

[QC]

21. It's definitely a mark of political skill.

One of the things I have always admired about Hillary is her toughness. I don't believe for an instant that she actually gets the vapors and collapses onto the fainting couch when someone criticizes her position on fracking or whatever.

But she does know that many of her most committed supporters are heavily invested in the victimization-to-vindication narrative, and a star always gives the fans what they want.

If I really believed it, I would be scared shitless, since I hardly think we can count on Donal Trump, ISIS, Putin, or whoever to be gentle in their dealings with her.

[Armstead]

26. I think people prefer consistency. One reason Obama does so well.

I think they'd also appreciate Sanders consistency if they were more familiar...He gets a bit cranky on occasion, but overall he's "steady as she goes."

[frylock]

32. Krugman is an alpha Hillary bro

[Else You Are Mad]

2. Krugman must have been promised some sort of position in Hillary's administration...

Because he really is going off the rails.

[pantsonfire]

4. One of many...let's see who gets a piece of the cake...n/t

[Armstead]

27. Did you have the Godfather 2 in mind?

The image of Meyer Lansky divvying up Cuba as birthday cake came to mind

[BernieforPres2016]

5. LOL at the POS Paul Krugman talking about somebody else's character and values issues

Compare the views the corrupt hypocrite was agreeing with in this video from 2014 with what he is writing about Bernie Sanders now.

[pantsonfire]

6. Inequality and crises: coincidence or causation? by Paul Krugman

Click to link to PDF of academic paper by Krugman:

[BernieforPres2016]

8. Thanks. Just skimmed through it.

I don't think he's quoting Robert Reich anymore. Kind of amazing to see Krugman turn his back on his own work and public views to support Hillary and attack Bernie.

#whichKrugman

[pantsonfire]

10. We have to hold these types of people accountable in the future.

By calling them out in newspapers, letters to them, wtvr, they know how hypocritical they are being.

[pantsonfire]

7. Also K&R that interview. n/t

[CTyankee]

17. this is astonishing. at about 18.25 he starts talking about what Bernie is saying now.

how can he be so crass? I am SO DISAPPOINTED in Krugman.

[BernieforPres2016]

19. Krugman was all but giving Bernie's stump speech

What kind of weasel is he, and how stupid is he to think people don't realize that he is turning on his own work as an economist when he attacks Bernie?

[CTyankee]

30. And probably his LIFE's work! I'm just floored by this...

[pdsimdars]

9. It's obvious the cheese has slipped off the cracker . . . . . just sayin

[pantsonfire]

12. Krugman at a costume party....

[highprincipleswork]

11. Paul Krugman can kiss my ass! Shill that he has become.

[pantsonfire]

15. Yeah...look at this article...it's intriguing, the graphics themselves...

http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-krugman-battles-austerians/

[DanTex]

16. Very prescient of him. That was before whoregate.

[pantsonfire]

18. K&R.....................................NOT.

What does that have to do with this thread?

[DanTex]

20. Not!

[pantsonfire]

22. hah....n/t

[frylock]

35. Don't you mean w***egate?

[Sunlei]

23. Hey Bro, You Mad?

Let the man compete for the Presidents seat

[pantsonfire]

24. Bro, I dunno, I neeed to consult my Bud Light first....

[Ferd Berfel]

25. Krugman is just auditioning for a job with CLinton

He apparently doesn't think the big banks were the problem in 2008 crash either

[Hissyspit]

28. I think hats pretty much it.

He can be quite on the money, but all of a sudden he contradicts himself to shore up Clinton. It's really weird.

[B Calm]

29. Trashing Thread, just more never ending mud slinging.

[pantsonfire]

31. Krugman is being a hypocrite....he deserves the mud. n/t

[Sunlei]

33. Keep Calm

[pantsonfire]

34. Oh dear....n/t