Let’s Not Be Civil, By PAUL KRUGMAN

[jefferson_dem]

Let’s Not Be Civil
By PAUL KRUGMAN

Last week, President Obama offered a spirited defense of his party’s values — in effect, of the legacy of the New Deal and the Great Society. Immediately thereafter, as always happens when Democrats take a stand, the civility police came out in force. The president, we were told, was being too partisan; he needs to treat his opponents with respect; he should have lunch with them, and work out a consensus.

That’s a bad idea. Equally important, it’s an undemocratic idea.

<SNIP>

Two weeks ago, House Republicans released their big budget proposal, selling it to credulous pundits as a statement of necessity, not ideology — a document telling America What Must Be Done.

But it was, in fact, a deeply partisan document, which you might have guessed from the opening sentence: “Where the president has failed, House Republicans will lead.” It hyped the danger of deficits, yet even on its own (not at all credible) accounting, spending cuts were used mainly to pay for tax cuts rather than deficit reduction. The transparent and obvious goal was to use deficit fears to impose a vision of small government and low taxes, especially on the wealthy.

<SNIP>

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/18/opinion/18krugman.html?_r=1&gwh=1AB5AA706E69E1B542DABA1F80EDF0B4&ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

[msongs]

1. sorry Paul, the Obama millions would like to see all the time has disappeared for an unknown time nt

[ThomCat]

4. Yup. The "progressive Obama" only comes out for show

when it is politically convenient and backs up a broad political position that is, in the end, guaranteed to produce moderate to right centrist results. It's always an effort to earn voter credentials when it is safely known that no really-left-leaning actions will be required.

So, at the best, we will maintain the status quo and Obama will be hailed as a lefty hero for this, even though he never supports the left-wing or left-wing goals and priorities.

When the real chips are down on a left-wing goal of any kind, and the left really needs him to represent, he always sides with the republicans, insults the left-wing, and has his staff call us lunatics, imply we are all drug addicts, or states that we are too far on the fringe to matter.

Krugman is absolutely right in everything he says here, AFAIC. Then again, Krugman almost always is.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. That's what I've been say'n.

When have they ever been civil to us? What's more, their voters don't respect civil. Remember? They like someone who is decisive. Someone who says what he's going to do, then does it. No apologies.

[rhett o rick]

3. r&k

[applegrove]

5. Great column - as always.

[Logical]

6. Thanks for posting! n-t

[patrice]

7. spending cuts to pay for tax cuts, we're supposed to be grateful for DISCRETIONARY "CHARITY", to

finance the necessities of our lives instead of us deciding for ourselves how our own tax dollars that we pay should be spent on what we decide for ourselves is best for us.

I hate noblese oblige.

[Keith Bee]

8. The Krug Man rocks!

K&R

[Enthusiast]

9. K&R

I like PAUL KRUGMAN.

[Scottybeamer70]

10. We've been too civil

to them in the past...........time to change the game! NO CIVILITY!

[dreamnightwind]

11. Excellent article

"Which brings me to those calls for a bipartisan solution. Sorry to be cynical, but right now “bipartisan” is usually code for assembling some conservative Democrats and ultraconservative Republicans — all of them with close ties to the wealthy, and many who are wealthy themselves — and having them proclaim that low taxes on high incomes and drastic cuts in social insurance are the only possible solution.

This would be a corrupt, undemocratic way to make decisions about the shape of our society even if those involved really were wise men with a deep grasp of the issues. It’s much worse when many of those at the table are the sort of people who solicit and believe the kind of policy analyses that the Heritage Foundation supplies. "

Right on Krugman!

[WillyT]

12. HUGE K & R !!!

:kick:

[hulka38]

13. Yes. The left is correct on the issues.

Centrists, get out of our way and let us go after the GOP bullshitters 100% of the time, not just when gearing up for another campaign.

[Cowpunk]

14. We need to start calling Heritage what it is: a lie factory

"Eventually, of course, America must choose between these differing visions. And we have a way of doing that. It’s called democracy."

Amen.