AMERICAblog: Must read: Krugman debunks the GOP's misleading claims about the stimulus
triple7s
· 10 months ago
A few weeks ago two reporters filed for info on the TWO TRILLION DOLLARS unaccounted for at FED RESERVE. The fed said NO we won't tell where it went. Any update on this? My guess is that the fed paid off the Saudis for their HUGE losses in the US market. http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/106443/why_w... comments=view&cID=1055461&pID=1055184
SCLiberal
· 10 months ago
What needs to happen is for the Democrats to go on a massive PR campaign. Having us read the column is preaching to the choir. The public, those who watch ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, etc. for their news need to be told far more than we do. Democrats, the Republicans have used the media masterfully to get their way. Take a lesson.
brian
· 10 months ago
I agree. They had their "Justice Sundays" and other events that were highly visible. I thought holding political campaigns in Churches were illegal, but that is only when Democrats do it.
The Democrats need strong leadership and they need it now!
Indigo
· 10 months ago
Without fraudulent claims, the Republicans wouldn't have a platform. What's important now is to help the public see past the smokescreen the Republicans are putting up. Talking jobs is one realistic way to get the public's attention and marginalize the GOP's op-ed chatter.
luvboxer
· 10 months ago
When is this going to stop! I expect to be laid off anyday now and I am a nervous wreck! OBAMA NEEDS TO GO ON TV OR ELSE RUN ADS STATING HIS PLAN...ALSO HE NEEDS TO PUT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN ITS PLACE..ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! PEOPLE ARE HURTING AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY DOESN'T CARE!!!
grandma
· 10 months ago
Great post Joe....thank you...
The cable news media is sickening........they need to start calling out these Republicans for what they are....liars and losers.
Milli
· 10 months ago
This country knows who and what caused this mess and Boner is underestimating how tired and frustrated we all are. Let him and his gang of failures hang themselves with their own words and deeds.
SCLiberal
· 10 months ago
The public has also forgotten the legacy of The New Deal, which rebuilt our infrastructure, something Obama wants to do. The book Long-Range Public Investment lays out the importance of such public spending. We actually got something for our money. We need to actually get something for our money once again. I wish Obama would stop trying to placate the Republicans by adding tax incentives. They don't work, we get nothing, and trying to entice them is like trying to reason with a rabid dog.
grandma
· 10 months ago
John Cole: (wasn't he a Republican?)
I promised to myself that never again would I be as gullible as I was during the Bush years, but I really don’t know what the appropriate level of skeptical is for Republicans right now. Even after losing their asses in the last two elections, facing numerous crises, here they are just flat-out making shit up on arguably the most important topic of the day.
From now on, anything the Republicans say I am just going to have to assume is a lie, until proven otherwise. I don’t know how else to handle this, as they simply can not be trusted to tell the truth or do the right thing, regardless what the stakes are.
Since the ruse to get us into the Iraq war, I reached the same conclusion about the Bush administration. I agree. Assume they are lying until proven otherwise.
foxy
· 10 months ago
They are playing petty self-serving politics. All they care is about themselves. The chimp gave them frat boy politics...and that's what its all about "me me me".
lucky hussein
· 10 months ago
The lies must be confronted, directly, publicly, forcefully - ad infinitum. BO should have a team just for this..
BigDuck
· 10 months ago
Shorter Joe Sudbay: "They lied us into a war, now they're trying to lie us into a depression."
I'd like to hear this from every Dem who makes public comments about the stimulus package.
katiec
· 10 months ago
The republicans have absolutely no integrity. They are resorting to the same swift boating they used during the election. Wake up republicans, the American people voted for change, not your politics as usual. What is so sad is that some believe and support their dirty tactics but thank goodness the majority of us do not,
soapboxz
· 10 months ago
Why all of a sudden are the Republicans worried about what it is going to cost our children and grandchildren now? I guess it is time to worry about it after you have filled your self, yourself,, for your children and your grandchildren. To heck with everybody elses. You have sunk to stomach cramp level. You spent the first $350 billion and did not worry about it. You may not know it or not but "We The People" see through you. The more you talk, the more you reinforce it and the ineptness of the Bush years. Get a clue! I really do believe you are missing the connectors between the lobes of your brain that allows the right side to talk to the left. The logic side is obviously not plugged in. Reaching across the aisle to you is like reaching across to a rattlesnake. This country is moving forward with or without you. As President Obama says...the ground is shifting underneath your feet. Glory to God!
An old Indian story states that we are made of a bad wolf and a good wolf. Which wolf will you feed? Your good wolf is starving and the bad wolf is eating you up from the inside out.
Older_Wiser
· 10 months ago
This is the battle cry of the greedy, narcissistic Rethuglicons (and their mates on Wall St.): "If I'm going down, I'm taking all of America with me!"
You know, like the abusive mate who claims no one will have his partner if he can't. What a bunch of thumb-sucking whiny assed titty babies.
Keep talking, Krugman. Dem leaders need to listen, because We the People are.
katiec
· 10 months ago
These lies and the politicians spewing them MUST be exposed. Get busy, Democrats!
Older_Wiser
· 10 months ago
And speaking of job losses, in addition to the 20,000 Caterpillar is cutting, and the 8,000 of Sprint/Nextel, Home Depot announced 7,000 positions being cut, and more companies to announce further cuts as well, as their 4th quarter earnings reports come out and they look to their bottom line.
Will state unemployment funds be able to handle this without an infusion of federal monies? I don't think so, but the Rethugs don't care if you perish, one way or another.
MNUSA
· 10 months ago
The Repubs have to really come up with some solid arguments for some changes or tweaking of the bill or against it. The pablum they've been feeding us for the past eight years doesn't work anymore. I'd also like to see less in tax cuts and more in mass transit funding nationwide. The light rail in Minneapolis has been wildly popular and helped increase transit ridership to the highest rate since 1982. It is popular for both suburban and urban residents. We need more of it.
pdxprobert
· 10 months ago
As far as Im concerned, what the Republican Party has morphed into is the most destructive force economically speaking that the US of A economy has ever encountered... and if I don't start seeing the Democratic Party start standing up to the RNC, their pundits like Rush and Sean, and their foot soldiers in the Senate and the House, I will have to seriously review if my vote for Democratic candidates at the federal level means anything... and if I should just vote in local and state elections only...
brian
· 10 months ago
The Republicans are obstructionists for the sake of being obstructionists. They could care less about the country. Instead they want to see the Democrats fail so they can win back power.
munjoy fan
· 10 months ago
Good column. And I fear the impact Boehner will have on Obama. This is the "Starve the Beast" faction. Some think they got Bush to hand $700 billion to the banks just in order to stave off permanent government expansion in the form of health care. I would add that the countries with higher taxes (ie Canada, Japan) seem to be weathering the current crisis, with respect to the welfare of their populations, better than we are. Certainly there is a bigger base for government to tap for public works programs, unemployment compensation, and continued health care for all. Notes from the local economy: the banks here are begging for loan customers. (Again, I must ask, why should we prop up Bank of America?) They have so much to lend they are lending back to the regional banks. Why are there no customers? They only way to unstick this situation is to do something that giver businesses and citizens hope for the future. It's a good time to invest in your home--structurally speaking, a way to increase value and circulate money. But buying TVs is not going to help. We need massive government intervention.
mimi
· 10 months ago
LA Times published an article by a Republican Pollster who was surprised to find out that majority is behind the stimulus plan... all across the board, regardless of party. And, even willing to pay extra 1% tax to get it done. http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/...
Rob Mule
· 10 months ago
As the Obama campaign proved, one need not personally engage a mudslinger to mock, ridicule and totally rebut the overarching themes of Team Mud's alleged thrusts...
mimi
· 10 months ago
John Cole had posted a video clip of Krugman explaining why it is necessary at a roundtable discussion with George Stephanopolis, Sam Donaldson, Cokie Roberts, etc. Anyway, it really made sense. It explained why the Republican line of cutting taxes alone just won't work this time. It's just a 5 min. clip or so.
devlzadvocate
· 10 months ago
Republicans are lying. Really? Really?
I just love their argument that the stimulus spends too much money. Where was that talk when they had the were writing the checks???? If they hadn't been so free wheeling with it, maybe we would have some money to fix the mistakes they caused.
CarolAll
· 10 months ago
I'd like to ask Boehner and other GOP "mighty defenders of American tax dollars" where they have been for the past 8 years? Where were their objections to running up a huge deficit to finance Bush's Iraq war, the no bid contracts for Blackwater and KBR, a worthless $700 million embassy in Iraq, and many other Bush/Cheney debacles? They rubber stamped every expense! Now the Republican obstructionists are enjoying the limelight, posing as the "fiscal conservatives" they would like everyone to believe they are. In fact, they are simply defending their base-- the rich, the fat cats, the big business corporate executives and their lobbyists. They are digging in to defend their status quo-- Bush's status quo-- that has brought the American economy to its knees. These were the guys who turned a blind eye to big CEO bonuses, stock options, and pension plans. In fact. some of their best contributors and GOP spokespersons are these guys. Obama has already given them an inch, but they will whine and moan until they get their pound of flesh. Meanwhile, Boehner, Mitchell, and Cantor are getting lots of press time as the heroes fighting against the "liberal tax and spend Democrats." What a bunch of phonies! Although Obama would like bipartisan support and has left the door open to discussion, he should not compromise. Obama has the support of the American people, he and the Democrats have the mandate. To heck with Boehner, Mitchell, Cantor, and John McCain-- they lost. Now they need to stop whining.
CDS
· 10 months ago
Come on folks. Millions of dollars to supply condoms, update computers, national endowment to the arts, refresh the national mall, are not job creation expenditures. This thing is so full of pork it oinks !
jaja
· 10 months ago
republican voters are getting just a taste of what real leadership, with our new president is about. with the nation's future at stake, they will surely, if not already see the g.o.p. leadership for what it is...obstructionist. it's a shame, really.
jaja
· 10 months ago
let the repubs. whine....they're a huge reason we're in this mess in the first place.
All Comments
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/106443/why_w...
comments=view&cID=1055461&pID=1055184
Democrats, the Republicans have used the media masterfully to get their way. Take a lesson.
The Democrats need strong leadership and they need it now!
The cable news media is sickening........they need to start calling out these Republicans for what they are....liars and losers.
I wish Obama would stop trying to placate the Republicans by adding tax incentives. They don't work, we get nothing, and trying to entice them is like trying to reason with a rabid dog.
I promised to myself that never again would I be as gullible as I was during the Bush years, but I really don’t know what the appropriate level of skeptical is for Republicans right now. Even after losing their asses in the last two elections, facing numerous crises, here they are just flat-out making shit up on arguably the most important topic of the day.
From now on, anything the Republicans say I am just going to have to assume is a lie, until proven otherwise. I don’t know how else to handle this, as they simply can not be trusted to tell the truth or do the right thing, regardless what the stakes are.
http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=16154
I'd like to hear this from every Dem who makes public comments about the stimulus package.
Wake up republicans, the American people voted for change, not your politics as usual. What is so sad is that some believe and support their dirty tactics but thank goodness the majority of us do not,
An old Indian story states that we are made of a bad wolf and a good wolf. Which wolf will you feed? Your good wolf is starving and the bad wolf is eating you up from the inside out.
You know, like the abusive mate who claims no one will have his partner if he can't. What a bunch of thumb-sucking whiny assed titty babies.
Keep talking, Krugman. Dem leaders need to listen, because We the People are.
Will state unemployment funds be able to handle this without an infusion of federal monies? I don't think so, but the Rethugs don't care if you perish, one way or another.
This is the "Starve the Beast" faction. Some think they got Bush to hand $700 billion to the banks just in order to stave off permanent government expansion in the form of health care.
I would add that the countries with higher taxes (ie Canada, Japan) seem to be weathering the current crisis, with respect to the welfare of their populations, better than we are. Certainly there is a bigger base for government to tap for public works programs, unemployment compensation, and continued health care for all.
Notes from the local economy: the banks here are begging for loan customers. (Again, I must ask, why should we prop up Bank of America?) They have so much to lend they are lending back to the regional banks. Why are there no customers? They only way to unstick this situation is to do something that giver businesses and citizens hope for the future. It's a good time to invest in your home--structurally speaking, a way to increase value and circulate money. But buying TVs is not going to help. We need massive government intervention.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/...
I just love their argument that the stimulus spends too much money. Where was that talk when they had the were writing the checks???? If they hadn't been so free wheeling with it, maybe we would have some money to fix the mistakes they caused.