patrick.net

Anyone that exists and prospers with the establishment will fight egalitarian change to the death

So die, Krugman

We are former Chairs of the Council of Economic Advisers for Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton

Nuff said

I agree that we should implement many of Bernie's reforms. What I'm not sure about are the details of his proposals to pay for things. He provided a tax plan that would have something like 2 or 3% increase in the marginal tax rates of the vast majority of people. Whether or not this will be enough is the question. Most people would not worry at all about this modest increase, but they might balk at a 10% or 15% increase. Predictions on GDP growth and unemployment make all the difference in regard to setting reasonable tax rates. I do think that people care a lot about tax increases, and they care in hind sight if the predicted budgets work out. For example, in hind sight, the gap between Bush's predicted budget surplus and what we got made a huge difference in how he and his party are judged. At least rational people are influenced by such facts.

Hopefully, some additional economists will weigh in on Bernies #s.

YesYNot says

What I'm not sure about are the details of his proposals to pay for things.

Don't be stuck on the details. These will change by the time he tries to do anything he is promising. Yes we know if we were setting up a universal healthcare and free education, taxes would be much higher.
The key question at stake here has nothing to do with healthcare or education.
The question at stake is do you think people in the US are getting poorer/unhappier because they don't understand the policies setup by experts (which is essentially what Hillary is saying), or because the system is inherently corrupted/rigged by lobbyists/special interests to profit a few (which the point Bernie is making).
I say the answer is obvious.

People like Krugman are recommending negative interest rates in a world flooded with debt as a way to keep the economy going.
No one should listen to this kind of idiot.

You are talking for the US. In Europe, the exact same applies. And believe me Europeans would be delighted to receive free checks from the central bank.
Why it isn't happening has nothing to do with the politics involved.

Ignoring any political resistance to sending checks for a minute... would you agree it would be a far more effective, transparent and fair way to create new money rather than trying to impose negative rates, and encouraging debts level even higher than we already have?

In a startling upset for the Clinton campaign, Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor for the Clinton administration, has come out in support of Bernie Sanders in a searing blog post that gets to the “volcanic core” of what this election is truly about.

“I’ve known Hillary Clinton since she was 19 years old, and have nothing but respect for her. In my view, she’s the most qualified candidate for president of the political system we now have,” Reich said. “But Bernie Sanders is the most qualified candidate to create the political system we should have, because he’s leading a political movement for change.”

Reich referenced a Princeton survey that included analysis of 1,799 policy issues from 1981 to 2002, and which ultimately concluded that “The preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically insignificant impact upon public policy.” Reich added that since 2002, the Citizens United and McCutcheon decisions have only “opened the floodgates to big money” even more.

Laughing off Bill Clinton’s assertion that Bernie Sanders’s health plan was a “recipe for gridlock,” Reich wrote that “these days, nothing of any significance is feasible and every bold idea is a recipe for gridlock.”

“Detailed policy proposals are as relevant to the election of 2016 as is that gaseous planet beyond Pluto,” Reich said. “They don’t have a chance of making it, as things are now.”

Therefore: “This election is about changing the parameters of what’s feasible and ending the choke hold of big money on our political system… The upcoming election isn’t about detailed policy proposals. It’s about power – whether those who have it will keep it, or whether average Americans will get some as well.”

Reich is right - this election is NOT about what policy proposals are feasible. It is NOT able detailed plans or policy math. With the GOPe control of the Senate, nothing is going to pass. What IS important and feasible is making the Establishment uncomfortable. We're really voting for somebody to bash the House and Senate over and over and over again, humiliate them, weaken them, make them ripe for destruction in 2018 and 2020.

This is damning evidence....

turtledove says

I swear to God, I'm not trying to be mean... You work at a bankruptcy law firm, right... so that's where you make some of your money, right? You are a real estate "player," right? You have posted articles trying to prove that certain races are biologically superior to others, right?... You claim that women should stick with their biologically determined roles, right?... And you viciously attack anyone who disagrees with you.

anonymous says

My sincere condolences on the loss of Sammy. Took my 13 year old Cocker for her final trip on February 3rd. Still haven't adjusted.

I am so sorry. I wish I had the words to make the sadness evaporate for you. It's just so hard, isn't it? Obviously, we don't want them to suffer... What to do seems right intellectually, but it feels so wrong. Like I spent the last 14 years protecting him and putting him down seems like the exact opposite of what a protector does. I keep reminding myself that in four days, he lost his ability to walk, he stopped eating, he had zero wag left in his tail, he stopped urinating, and he would have moments where he would pant (suggesting pain). The house is just wrong without him. My other dog (1 year old) has also been off since Tuesday. I brought him with us so he could know that Sammy was gone and not coming back. But since then, he's been really needy. He won't leave my side... He's been really tentative on walks. For him, it seems like he's missing his other half. Then I look over at Sammy's old bed and their lie my cats. Everyone is missing him. I guess time will eventually heal the enormous dog-shaped holes we all have in our hearts.