Paul Krugman:The Flimflam Man, The Ryan plan is a fraud that makes no useful contribution

[cal04]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/06/opinion/06krugman.html?_r=1&ref=paulkrugman

One depressing aspect of American politics is the susceptibility of the political and media establishment to charlatans. You might have thought, given past experience, that D.C. insiders would be on their guard against conservatives with grandiose plans. But no: as long as someone on the right claims to have bold new proposals, he’s hailed as an innovative thinker. And nobody checks his arithmetic.

Which brings me to the innovative thinker du jour: Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

Mr. Ryan has become the Republican Party’s poster child for new ideas thanks to his “Roadmap for America’s Future,” a plan for a major overhaul of federal spending and taxes. News media coverage has been overwhelmingly favorable; on Monday, The Washington Post put a glowing profile of Mr. Ryan on its front page, portraying him as the G.O.P.’s fiscal conscience. He’s often described with phrases like “intellectually audacious.”

But it’s the audacity of dopes. Mr. Ryan isn’t offering fresh food for thought; he’s serving up leftovers from the 1990s, drenched in flimflam sauce.

(snip)
The Ryan plan is a fraud that makes no useful contribution to the debate over America’s fiscal future.

[spanone]

1. mr krugman realizes the poison pen of the media and their obvious bias

the washington post is promoting republicans

'The Washington Post put a glowing profile of Mr. Ryan on its front page'

on the fucking front page

[Oceansaway]

2. K&R...n/t

[butterfly77]

3. Kicked&Recommended!

[bvar22]

4. "the audacity of dopes"

Gotta love that.

Is Krugman a shrill negative voice from the fringe Left who hates Obama, or a legitimate source of sensible commentary and opinion?
I lost track.

[laughingliberal]

5. K & R nt

[Better Believe It]

6. K & R

[applegrove]

7. Wonderful piece.

[midnight]

8. K&R. for calling out Ryan on what appears to be entitlements

for the most affluent, and heavy financial burdens for those taking home the least of the "winnings".

[Scurrilous]

9. K & R

:thumbsup:

[gratuitous]

10. "Drenched in flimflam sauce"

Well, how the hell else are Republicans going to sell their retrograde economic ideas? "Give all your money to the overrich!" hasn't tested well at all.

[WillyT]

11. K & R !!!

:kick: