"Wow. The president basically got Paul Krugman to shut the eff up and applaud."

[babylonsister]

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2011/4/13/171111/681

Obama's Budget Speech

by BooMan
Wed Apr 13th, 2011 at 05:11:11 PM EST


Wow. The president basically got Paul Krugman to shut the eff up and applaud. I didn't think it was possible. As for me, I did catch the speech but I was packing up to run to the doctor's office, pharmacy, etc., and so I couldn't really concentrate on the substance. Stylistically, it seemed like another Home Run of a speech. I didn't disagree with anything I heard. I liked the president's explanation of American/progressive values. I liked that he said he will not authorize another year of Bush's tax cuts. I liked that he said that he won't voucherize Medicare. I liked that he ripped Paul Ryan's plan apart and cast it as an all-out assault on granny. I even liked that he took progressives to task for thinking we can do nothing about the debt, or that we can tackle the debt without doing some reform to entitlements.

One thing that is already obvious is that we have a shutdown situation on the 2012 budget. How is John Boehner's House going to pass a bill that lets Bush's tax cuts for the rich expire? The president said he won't back down.

In December, I agreed to extend the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans because it was the only way I could prevent a tax hike on middle-class Americans. But we cannot afford $1 trillion worth of tax cuts for every millionaire and billionaire in our society. We can’t afford it. And I refuse to renew them again.

I don't think he will back down. I don't think the Tea-Partying House will back down. So, get ready. The government will almost definitely shut down late this fall over the issue of Bush's tax cuts for the top three percent.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/13/the-budget-speech/

The Budget Speech
Paul Krugman

Style: I liked the way Obama made a case for government at the beginning. I liked the way he accused Republicans of pessimism, of abandoning a hopeful vision of America. Good that he went after the Ryan plan — and good that he went after the cruelty of that plan. If you ask me, too many percentages. Oh, and whichever speechwriter came up with “win the future” should be sent to count yurts in Outer Mongolia.

Substance: Much better than many of us feared. Hardly any Bowles-Simpson — yay!

The actual plan relies on some discretionary spending cuts, this time including defense — good, although I think too much is being cut from domestic spending. It relies on letting the Bush tax cuts for the rich expire — finally! — plus unspecified reductions in tax expenditures.

The main thing, though, is the strengthened role of and target for the Independent Payment Advisory Board. This can sound like hocus-pocus — but it’s not.

snip//

Overall, way better than the rumors and trial balloons. I can live with this. And whatever the pundits may say, it was much, much more serious than the Ryan “plan”.

more...

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/13/the-budget-speech/

[hlthe2b]

1. Krugman gives credit where credit is due. So do I...

Krugman is NOT the enemy. He has been a tremendous spokesperson and I strongly suspect a very irritating, (and very EFFECTIVE) thorn in the administration's side. Good on him. We need such "thorns."

[spooky3]

4. agree

[calimary]

5. Paul Krugman was also the ONLY mainstream media voice that consistently was critical of dubya

and his lamebrain asshole greedy pennywise/pound foolish "economic policies." He was the only voice against the war (besides Helen Thomas) for several years. He was the only voice, besides hers, that consistently said the wee cowboy "emperor" had no clothes.

[Jakes Progress]

15. +1

[woolldog]

2. Speech was great. The question is

Whether Obama will have the cojones to stick to his guns. Or will he cave in like he usually does at the first sign of a fight?

[flamingdem]

3. cojones is a greatly underused word

luv it.

[mindwalker_i]

7. I really wish bazongas was used more often

But it's hard to apply that to Obama.

[flamingdem]

9. hmm. that's a good one!

Maybe a variation bazoonkys

[Whisp]

10. or vulvas, why not vulvas or maybe labia

wish he had the labias to... wot wot... equipped with a bunch of machine gunzzzz. yah, that always solves everything.

[Lorien]

11. You actually have to ask? If anyone is still "taking him at his word" at this point

then they truly have been living with gold plated blinders on for the past 2 1/2 years.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

14. Depends, how many people on the left side of the spectrum will be pushing

on their congress critters to actually get it passed?

Obama has given a very good plan, now its the job of the public to get the people in the senate and house to actually do the bloody thing.

[MannyGoldstein]

6. Krugman also said...

"I could live with this as an end result. If this becomes the left pole, and the center is halfway between this and Ryan, then no -- better to pursue the zero option of just doing nothing and letting the Bush tax cuts as a whole expire."

[emilyg]

8. Thanks.

[vaberella]

12. Is he talking about the future or the past?

Because in the future, that's what Obama said he would do...so uh...point?!

[Name removed]

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