In Defense of Obama by Paul Krugman

[zappaman]

I'll go through those achievements shortly. First, however, let's take a moment to talk about the current wave of Obama-bashing. All Obama-bashing can be divided into three types. One, a constant of his time in office, is the onslaught from the right, which has never stopped portraying him as an Islamic atheist Marxist Kenyan. Nothing has changed on that front, and nothing will.

There's a different story on the left, where you now find a significant number of critics decrying Obama as, to quote Cornel West, someone who ''posed as a progressive and turned out to be counterfeit.'' They're outraged that Wall Street hasn't been punished, that income inequality remains so high, that ''neoliberal'' economic policies are still in place. All of this seems to rest on the belief that if only Obama had put his eloquence behind a radical economic agenda, he could somehow have gotten that agenda past all the political barriers that have con- strained even his much more modest efforts. It's hard to take such claims seriously.

Finally, there's the constant belittling of Obama from mainstream pundits and talking heads. Turn on cable news (although I wouldn't advise it) and you'll hear endless talk about a rudderless, stalled administration, maybe even about a failed presidency. Such talk is often buttressed by polls showing that Obama does, indeed, have an approval rating that is very low by historical standards.

But this bashing is misguided even in its own terms – and in any case, it's focused on the wrong thing.


Read more:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/in-defense-of-obama-20141008

[frazzled]

1. Gee, nobody wants to comment.

So I will. Thanks, Paul Krugman, for a balanced, informative, and reality-based article. I guess that's why nobody wants to comment.

[Andy823]

4. Yes

Reality and facts are a hard thing to disagree with, even though some here do try.

[Cha]

11. Paul Krugman knows exponentially more about what the President has done than Cenk the Whiner.

[Andy823]

2. Where are all our bashers?

I would think they could come in and counter all the things said in this article, but then again maybe not!

K&R

[flamingdem]

9. They're busy commenting on the Cenk article

Cenk, Krugman who has a better brain?

(Hint it's not Cenk)

[Hekate]

17. They have their own thread where DUers are invited to list all PBO's "failures"

Don't worry, they'll drop by here when they take a break from gnawing on the bones.

[zappaman]

31. I'll keep it on the first page.

Wouldn't want anyone to miss an opportunity to bash the president.

[Cha]

35. LOL.. Don't dare list any accomplishments.. those don't count. lol

[sheshe2]

52. Bwaaaaahahahahah~

Nailed it hekate!

Late and I am off~

[VanillaRhapsody]

3. THANK YOU PAUL KRUGMAN......for saying what I have been trying to say.....

"there's the constant belittling of Obama" <<< right here on Democratic Underground.....

Along with...

"There's a different story on the left, where you now find a significant number of critics decrying Obama as, to quote Cornel West, someone who ''posed as a progressive and turned out to be counterfeit.'' They're outraged that Wall Street hasn't been punished, that income inequality remains so high, that ''neoliberal'' economic policies are still in place. All of this seems to rest on the belief that if only Obama had put his eloquence behind a radical economic agenda, he could somehow have gotten that agenda past all the political barriers that have con- strained even his much more modest efforts. It's hard to take such claims seriously. "

Now doesn't ^^^ that sound familiar????

Just like I always say....UNLESS you OWN all three branches of govt you are NEVER going to see RADICAL CHANGE......no matter WHO is in office!!


Paul Krugman has GOT Y'all's fucking number!!!

Not Elizabeth Warren....not even Bernie Sanders can perform miracles!

[Andy823]

5. Yes we have our own crowd here

I call them the "doom and gloomers". All the negative they can find to post ends up here, but not one positive thing do they post. Sad when you think about it.

[VanillaRhapsody]

6. But THEY are the REALLLLLL Democrats.....even though they now support a NON-Democrat!

they are still not swayed from that position....Its an astounding level of lack of introspection!

[zappaman]

10. Well, if you mention the congress that has blocked EVERYTHING this President has tried to do..

you get this...

"Same lame excuses, different day."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025623976#post98

[Cha]

12. they're projecting.

[zappaman]

14. Sad. n/t

[VanillaRhapsody]

7. and the coup de gras

that leaves them fried....died....and laid to the side...

"But this bashing is misguided even in its own terms – and in any case, it's focused on the wrong thing."

Excellent post Zappaman....nice find!

K&R

[Ryano42]

8. Don't worry the TeaLeft wasn't going to vote before...

and they aren't going to vote after reading this either.

All I can say to them is this: "If you are looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror"



I left DU once because them and their apocalyptic views; I won't leave again.

[Cha]

13. Welcome back, Ryan

[VanillaRhapsody]

21. Good! This cacophony of background noise they create....accomplishes NOTHING except to

further discourage other people from voting at all....

[Hekate]

15. Paul Krugman: still the voice of sanity and reason

KnR

[Blue_Tires]

16. That column ain't gonna be popular here...

[Cha]

18. They'll ignore it unless they want to whine about Paul Krugman.

[VanillaRhapsody]

22. OH they WILL......Whining is their BEST THING!

They recently threw Elizabeth Warren under their proverbial bus......On to Bernie Sanders....


"Help us Bernie Won Kenobi....You're our only hope"

[zappaman]

19. Your comment speaks volumes.

[Cha]

20. KICK!

[mcar]

23. Excellent column

Hard to find anything to disagree with.

[Chathamization]

24. Mostly agree with the article...

This is a bit odd though:

They're outraged that Wall Street hasn't been punished, that income inequality remains so high, that ''neoliberal'' economic policies are still in place. All of this seems to rest on the belief that if only Obama had put his eloquence behind a radical economic agenda, he could somehow have gotten that agenda past all the political barriers that have con- strained even his much more modest efforts. It's hard to take such claims seriously.

Let's be clear: The financial crisis should have been followed by a drastic crackdown on Wall Street abuses, and it wasn't. No important figures have gone to jail; bad banks and other financial institutions, from Citigroup to Goldman, were bailed out with few strings attached; and there has been nothing like the wholesale restructuring and reining in of finance that took place in the 1930s. Obama bears a considerable part of the blame for this disappointing response. It was his Treasury secretary and his attorney general who chose to treat finance with kid gloves.

Eh...OK...

Still, the main thrust of the article is good. It only touches on some of the very real problems with the Obama presidency, but that can be expected given the focus of the piece. There has been some significant successes that have happened, and they don't get talked about a lot, or get trashed when they do. The trashing of the ACA in the media a year ago followed by media silence when it turned out the ACA has been working fairly well is a perfect example.

[zappaman]

26. I think you misinterpreted that part...

I think it's more like

They're outraged that Wall Street hasn't been punished, that income inequality remains so high, that ''neoliberal'' economic policies are still in place. All of this seems to rest on the belief that if only Obama had put his eloquence behind a radical economic agenda, he could somehow have gotten that agenda past all the political barriers that have con- strained even his much more modest efforts. It's hard to take such claims seriously.

[Chathamization]

27. Which is why it's a silly argument. Krugman's saying that the failure to punish Wall St. is valid

criticism, but also dismisses such criticism on the left because he claims it's based on the wrong assumptions. I may be running with in the wrong circles, but the criticism I see for the failure to go after corporate crooks usually isn't that Obama should have "put his eloquence behind a radical economic agenda." That seems like a dishonest way to brush aside criticism, especially when you go on to make the same critique yourself.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

39. Agreed. But he's still wrong. As I and many of us have explained many times...

It was DEREGULATION that led to many legal actions on Wall Street that were formerly illegal. Rampant speculation, overturning of Glass-Stegall, lax oversight over the banks. If there's little illegal activity, then there's nothing to throw folks in jail over.

That's what happened. And I don't understand why that's so difficult for us liberals to understand,

[zappaman]

41. You and your silly facts!

[Cha]

49. Mahalo Liberal_Stalwart.. If a lie is repeated often enough they think it's true..

"It was DEREGULATION that led to many legal actions on Wall Street that were formerly illegal. Rampant speculation, overturning of Glass-Stegall, lax oversight over the banks. If there's little illegal activity, then there's nothing to throw folks in jail over."

[JustAnotherGen]

55. Amen

And derivatives entered the mortgage market - legally.

[CTyankee]

25. thank you, Dr. Krugman for just speaking the goddamned truth!

3I am befuddled and astonished at the stonewalling of the repukes on ANY attempt to jump start the economy after the first stimulus. It is disgraceful and not befitting our democracy.

Let us all heed Paul Krugman. He speaks the TRUTH.

[riderinthestorm]

28. Great article. Dr Krugman lays it all out. K&R nt

[betsuni]

29. Great! Thank you! n/t

[zappaman]

61. You're welcome!

[FSogol]

30. K&R. n/t

[Number23]

32. "It's hard to take such claims seriously." What the remaining smart folks here have been saying

FOREVER

[zappaman]

33. Can't argue with that.

[Cha]

34. KICK

[UtahLib]

37. K&R Good article. nt

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

38. HEY DU: ARE YOU LISTENING? Your boy, Paul Krugman is talking!!!!

[Cha]

40. Some of us

are, Liberal_Stalwart!

[Cha]

42. OH Yeah.. I'm going to keep kicking this.

[Cha]

43. K

[Spazito]

44. Wow, the sounds of crickets is deafening...

Your OP is being ignored by those who thrive on posting constant criticism of President Obama because, imo, it is hoped it will drop off the first page.

K & R both your OP and Mr. Krugman!

[zappaman]

45. yup.

[Cha]

46. Funny that, Spazito..

I'm not going to let it "drop off the first page" Ever.

[Spazito]

48. Gee Cha, maybe I was too harsh on those who tend to post only criticism...

of President Obama. Maybe the points Krugman makes are irrefutable and those who normally criticize actually agree with his points. One can hope, eh!

[Cha]

50. It's really strange.. "the deafening sound of crickets" on Krugman's Rolling Stone article. They

must agree! Spazito~

snip//

"There's a different story on the left, where you now find a significant number of critics decrying Obama as, to quote Cornel West, someone who ''posed as a progressive and turned out to be counterfeit.'' They're outraged that Wall Street hasn't been punished, that income inequality remains so high, that ''neoliberal'' economic policies are still in place. All of this seems to rest on the belief that if only Obama had put his eloquence behind a radical economic agenda, he could somehow have gotten that agenda past all the political barriers that have con- strained even his much more modest efforts. It's hard to take such claims seriously."

More..
zappaman http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025644404

[Electric Monk]

59. Or maybe it's because this one was a dupe thread. There was a much nicer one posted Wednesday.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025636950

[Cha]

60. It is what it is.. cenk's an idiot and Paul Krugman is not.. thanks for kicking this thread..

[Vattel]

47. Krugman is strong on economic issues, clueless on national security issues

and legal issues and immigration issues and criminal justice issues

[sheshe2]

51. Kick and Hell yes Recommend!

Thank you Paul Krugman.

Great Op zappaman....hmmm crickets, the sounds of silence from you know who!..

[MannyGoldstein]

53. Krugman is a first-rate economist

But, sadly, he's shown no aptitude for politics. Tragically, I can't think of any policies he's altered, even though he knew exactly what needed to be done.

Compare and contrast to, say, Larry Summers. Or even Sara Palin.

I'm not sure that Krugman's the best judge of what could have been done.

[Spazito]

54. LOL

"I'm not sure that Krugman's the best judge of what could have been done."

Who would you suggest would be "the best judge of what could have been done"?

[JustAnotherGen]

56. This is an excellent article

Thank you - Krugman did a fine job of laying it out. And I really liked his nod to the fact that not all is lost - in regards to the Senate.

[zappaman]

57. It's a great article.

Ignored by the usual POTUS bashers.

[zappaman]

58. Weekend kick.

Why not?

[Cha]

62. KIck your KICK! WHy not indeed!