Paul Krugman Interview (Alternet): The Professor Takes the Gloves Off

[Dudley_DUright]

Accustomed in economic circles to calling a stupid argument a stupid argument, and isolated (in Princeton, New Jersey) from the Washington dinner-party circuit, Paul Krugman has become the most prominent voice in the mainstream U.S. media to openly and repeatedly accuse George Bush of lying to the American people to sell budget-busting tax cuts and a pre-emptive and nearly unilateral war.

Krugman cannot be dismissed by opponents as some dyed-in-the-wool lefty. He's a moderate academic economist who's been radicalized by the Bush White House and the right wing it represents. Krugman joined The New York Times in 1999 as a columnist on the op-ed Page and continues as professor of Economics and International Affairs at Princeton University. His new book, "The Great Unraveling: Losing Our Way In The New Century" (#9 on the New York Times best-seller list and a top seller on Amazon) is a collection of his op-ed pieces from January 2000-January 2003.

McNally: How did your role in the op-ed pages of The New York Times happen and how has it evolved?

Krugman: I was brought on to write about "my real home," economics and business, specifically international economics. There were a lot of international crises in the '90s and The Times thought I'd be writing about policies and disasters overseas, as well as about stuff at home, typically the follies of the new economy. But it was election season, and it pretty quickly became clear to me – and more and more so as we went along – that the really scary follies, the potential disasters that were the greatest risks of concern were at home.

more...

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=17169

[stilpist]

1. Krugman nailed it again, IMO.

The last paragraph:

'I think that unless a candidate is really prepared to come out swinging, to say these people are doing the wrong thing by the country, there's no chance. Saying "I'm like Bush only less so" is not going to win this election.'

That's awfully good advice for the eventual Democratic nominee.

[Hand]

2. Well, of course he nailed it...

He's Krugman--that's what he does! And oh, how he DOES IT! (Punching the air in an idiotic fashion) WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP! HE'S DA MAN!!!

:toast: :loveya: :yourock:

[0007]

3. "The Great Unravelling" is one hell of a book

If ya haven't got it, get it!