Learning From Obama (Paul Krugman)

[swag]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/01/opinion/learning-from-obama.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

. . .

All in all, it’s quite a record. Assuming Democrats hold the presidency, Mr. Obama will emerge as a hugely consequential president — more than Reagan. And I’m sure Republicans will learn a lot from his achievements.

April fools!

Seriously, there is essentially no chance that conservatives, whose ideas haven’t changed in decades, will reconsider their dogma. But maybe progressives will be more open-minded.

The 2008 election didn’t bring the political transformation Obama enthusiasts expected, nor did it destroy the power of the vested interests: Wall Street, the medical-industrial complex and the fossil fuel lobby are all still out there, using their money to buy influence. But they have been pushed back in ways that have made American lives better and more secure.

The lesson of the Obama years, in other words, is that success doesn’t have to be complete to be very real. You say you want a revolution? Well, you can’t always get what you want — but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.

[SunSeeker]

1. K & R

[Todays_Illusion]

2. I think President Obama has been magnificent, we were damn lucky he has worked so hard to hold the

for us against the conservatives/Republicans.


This is a Krugman plug for Hillary Clinton, it is my belief she will capitulate on more in one term that Bill did in two terms.

I will continue to support Bernie Sanders until the convention, and until November.

[iandhr]

3. Am I going mad or is this a positive thread about the President on DU?

Usually this is bash Obama Underground.

[beastie boy]

6. Let meintraject something that will make you feel more at home

We are damn lucky to have a DINO third way neo-liberal war mongering brilliant President who kept America sane and stable for the past eight years, despite unprecedented efforts to derail his Presidency!

....Now, that sounds more like the DU we are used to, doesn't it?

[iandhr]

7. Excellent

[andym]

4. Reagan did not get much of his agenda passed

His influence was on the hearts and minds of voters and other politicians. Unfortunately the effects of Reagan's administration remain with us today. The idea that government is the problem and that tax cuts, and deregulation are what's needed for the economy.
President Obama battled this idea on two fronts: through expanding government via the ACA and trying to raise taxes on the wealthy.
That is the beginning of a counter revolution to Reagan. The next President, hopefully a Democrat, needs to further convince people that government can help to make our lives better.

[stopbush]

9. One of the things EVERYONE forgets - both Rs and Ds -

is that Reagan said that "government is the problem *in this instance*."

Read his inaugural speech. He never made a blanket statement that government was "a problem" or was "the" problem. He was much narrower in his context.

As bad as Reagan was as president, the Reagan we think of today is a caricature on both sides of the aisle.

[andym]

14. Reagan had many anti-government bromides: "The nine most terrifying words.."

.. "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help. " ... was one of the worst.

[Nitram]

20. Stopbush, you seem to be forgetting much of what Reagan said when he...

...bashed government.

"Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them."

"If the federal government had been around when the Creator was putting His hand to this state, Indiana wouldn't be here. It'd still be waiting for an environmental impact statement."

"Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other."

"One way to make sure crime doesn't pay would be to let the government run it."

"Today, if you invent a better mousetrap, the government comes along with a better mouse."

"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."

"Governments tend not to solve problems, only to rearrange them."

"The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would steal them away."

[w4rma]

5. Obama ran on "Yes we can!". Sanders is running on "Yes we can!" Clinton is running on 'No we can't!"

Dump Clinton. She's a loser.

[stopbush]

10. Ds are overwhelming picking Hillary.

The loser they're in the process of dumping is Bernie Sanders.

[w4rma]

13. Early, low turnout primaries, mostly in the South picked Hillary before they knew who Sanders was.nt

[stopbush]

15. !

Right! That's how Hillary has 2.5 million votes more than Sanders!

[w4rma]

16. No. It's because your 2.5 million "votes" don't include the vast majority of the caucus votes. (nt)

[stopbush]

17. does it matter? Hillary has already won this and

Bernie is on his way back to back bencher status in the Senate.

You can imagine what you will, it doesn't change a thing.

[w4rma]

18. We had all better hope that Sanders wins this nomination. Hillary will lose the general election. nt

[CobaltBlue]

8. Paul Krugman is Dismissed

I'm not reading anything from Paul Krugman who is dishonest and disgusting.

[geek tragedy]

11. That's what the Republicans say about him nt

[Nitram]

21. Cobalt, Krugman is a brilliant economist and a very decent human being.

Are you angry because he doesn't think Bernie will win the nomination? Perhaps that has clouded your judgement.

[greenman3610]

12. I wish all the Obama haters could read this

We've had the same people who said "there's not a dime's worth of difference between Al Gore and George Bush", that have been trashing Obama from day 2, when he did not blow rainbows and unicorns out of his ass, and that are recycling disgusting 20 year old Rush Limbaugh talking points to attack Hilary right now - time to take a step back and assess what's been done in the face of massive opposition from the evilest people in history, as well as a circular firing squad in his own party.

[Skittles]

19. maybe if he had not wasted so much time trying to be friends with those evil bastards

aw, never fucking mind

[Nitram]

22. Skittles, you misunderstand.

Obama didn't want to be friends with the GOP, he wanted to get stuff done that couldn't be done if it was blocked by Congress. Politics is how people in government accomplish things - and it requires working with people you don't like.