Krugman: Harold Ford sets a new standard for cluelessness.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

January 25, 2010, 8:13 am
No Ford In Our Future

Wow. Harold Ford’s op-ed in today’s Times has to set some kind of new standard for cluelessness.

Mark Thoma says what needs to be said about the economics. What he says about health care shows that he hasn’t paid any attention to the substance of that discussion, either: he wants us to build a one-legged stool.

But what really struck me was the spirit of the enterprise.

Back in the 1980s — I suspect it was in Mark Alan Stamaty’s Washingtoon, but can’t be sure — there was a joke about Democrats laying out their new platform. The principles of the platform were tax cuts for the rich, big spending on the military, and cuts in programs that help the poor and workers. One Democrat asked, “How does this make us different from the Republicans.” The answer was, “Compassion: we care about the victims of our policies.”

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/no-ford-in-our-future/

An example of Ford's centrist lunacy from the op-ed Krugman is trashing: "By focusing on job creation and deficit reduction, we can expand our economy and balance the budget."

This is an absolute denial of Keynesian economics. It is impossible, in the world we face today, to create jobs AND reduce the deficit AND expand the economy. It's not difficult, it is impossible. Our economy is wholly dependent on the size of the deficit... that is what is keeping it propped up right now. The deficit is not a by-product of stimulus, it IS the stimulus. The deficit itself is the stimulus. If we had passed the stimulus package and paid for it with cuts in other areas or tax increases the stimulus would have had essentially no stimulative effect.

What Ford is laying out will probably be the most common Dem line this election year. Even Obama, who one hopes knows better intellectually, trots out the fight-the-deficit-and-help-the-economy nonsense sometimes. It is said to be "good politics." It is, however, about as rational as running the 2010 elections on the proposition that the Earth is flat.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[Jennicut]

2. Harold Ford is the the scum on the bottom of my shoe.

He is lower then low, as far as Dems go. Is he even really a Dem? He is a DINO.

[CTyankee]

3. I refused to read Ford's idiotic piece today. That guy is a wart on the face of the Dem Party.

I have no stomach for him any more...

[ShortnFiery]

4. As DLC as he is, he's a damn sight better than Lieberman. eom

[Jennicut]

5. Lieberman is my Senator. That would be a tough choice.

[ShortnFiery]

6. Yes, but the woman Ford's challenging in the primary is also "a blue dog" and

I would surmise is also UNDERSTATING her true Corporate colors.

The choice is between two blue dogs. I believe that some don't like Ford's personality, but their policies would be "very similar."

[Jennicut]

8. Easy choice with those two. Gillibrand is not a hater of gays. Harold Ford is.

He can lie all he wants to about how he supports gay rights now, but I don't by it. Gillibrand is way, way better.

[ShortnFiery]

10. Oh don't start with that ... Our President is not setting any land speed records on expanding those

areas of Social Justice, especially with regard to gay rights, so it will never depend on her vote. :evilgrin:

These two democrats (Ford-Gillibrand) are two bad choices and would have been "liberal Republicans" during the 1970s.

I don't claim either one albeit I know some people particularly dislike Harold Ford, Jr. :shrug:

[Jennicut]

12. I agree with you on Obama regarding

gay rights but I just can't get over what a scum Ford is. But yes, there is not really too many progressive choices out there anymore.

[Jim Lane]

25. The choice isn't limited to Gillibrand and Ford

I expect that, in the Democratic primary, I will again vote for Jonathan Tasini (see ).

When he ran against Hillary in 2006, he was espousing crazy notions like single-payer health care. This obviously made him a dangerous radical; the corporate media ignored him, and Hillary refused to debate him. Probably the same thing will happen to him against Gillibrand this year, whether or not Ford enters the race.

As for LGBT rights, Tasini , as does Gillibrand. Marriage equality, however, will be of little value to a gay man or lesbian whose partner is killed in Iraq or Afghanistan -- wars that Gillibrand supports and Tasini opposes.

[paulk]

24. Gillibrand "was" a blue dog when she represented a

conservative district. Her voting record has been far more liberal now that she represents the entire state.

She is rated as among the top 20 liberal members of the Senate.

But you knew that, right?

[CTyankee]

9. Some "damn sight." Both of them nauseate me. nt

[ShortnFiery]

11. Democratic Big Tent - Quack! Quack!

I'm just teasing ... tweaking you. ;) :hi:

[CTyankee]

13. I'm already in a rotten mood and the thought of Lieberman is nearly sending me

over the edge...

[ShortnFiery]

16. Sorry to have sworn in your presence.

Let me make up for it? ====> Bernie Sanders! :patriot:

[CTyankee]

18. OK, if anything can brighten my mood it's knowing he's fighting for us.

Plus, he's smart. I love Bernie!:loveya:

[Jennicut]

17. Just chant "2012"..."Blumenthal" to yourself over and over again. It helps me.

[CTyankee]

20. Please god. Also Susan B reclaiming our state from Lieberputz.

Be still my heart...

[Gregorian]

7. When are we going to start teaching Chinese as a mandatory second language.

Because...



Edit- I just see us needing to know it when we are going through real estate negotiations with them. I am getting rather bummed out thinking about how that is our future. Selling our best real estate to the only people who we can't refuse. The ones with our money.

[n2doc]

21. Because someday we will be running call centers for them

Once the destruction of our economy reduces our standard of living to third world status.

[Gregorian]

22. Oh, that'll be payback! I'll use my best redneck accent.

And we can drive them crazy!

I wonder what they will need our help with. I don't think we're even going to get their help line jobs.

[flpoljunkie]

14. Harold's legislation wish list sounds like it was written by Mitch McConnell

First, cut taxes for businesses — big and small — and find innovative ways to get Americans back to work. We can start by giving any companies that are less than five years old an exemption from payroll taxes for six months; extending the current capital gains and dividend tax rates through 2012; giving permanent tax credits for businesses that invest in research and development; and reducing the top corporate tax rate to 25 percent from 35 percent.

[OHdem10]

15. Conservatives(not just RW) do not believe in Keynesian economics.

Ford is the Ultimate Conservative. We do not seem understand
A conservative is a conservative is a conservative.

Not defending Ford, just pointing out the obvious.

How could Democrats be setting up a Commission on SS, Medicare,
Medicaid??? This is not exactly Democratic ---Oh, yes, New Dems
The Third Way and DLC. Conservatives are conservatives. Right
Conservadems rule.

[ShortnFiery]

19. Correct. I grew up around right wing conservatives.

As far as "conservative" goes, Harold Ford is damn likable.

Sorry, I'm a dyed in the wool liberal but I can respect a Genuine Conservative who believes in small government. They are not on MY SIDE but you can negotiate with them. :shrug:

[CreekDog]

23. by doing so, he plays to his strength

gotta give him credit for that! :dilemma: