Krugman gives hell to Jeb today in the NYT...heh, heh...

[CTyankee]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/15/opinion/paul-krugman-fraternity-of-failure.html?ref=opinion

I was hoping he would. Interesting take he has on repuke intransigence of being wrong on everything and defiantly so.

Good job, Dr. K. What a pleasure to read your column today!

[hatrack]

1. That was awesome - and he's 100% correct.

It's all tribalism, plain and simple. You are of the tribe, or you are not. If you are, none of your mistakes matter, no matter how disastrous or flamingly avoidable.

If you are not, then you hate Freedumb, simple as that.

[CTyankee]

2. I love Dr. K so much...and his wife who evidently pushes him left all the time (she edits

his column). They are a nice team...

[tclambert]

23. Which means true Republicans won't listen to him EVER.

What happened to them wanting to stop being the stoopid party?

[JHB]

44. It went the way of most New Year's resolutions...

...when faced with "but it's haaaaard!"

[lumberjack_jeff]

24. Awesome indeed. My favorite part:

Wait, there’s more: Incredibly, Mr. Bush resorted to the old passive-voice dodge, admitting only that “mistakes were made.” Indeed. By whom? Well, earlier this year Mr. Bush released a list of his chief advisers on foreign policy, and it was a who’s-who of mistake-makers, people who played essential roles in the Iraq disaster and other debacles.

Seriously, consider that list, which includes such luminaries as Paul Wolfowitz, who insisted that we would be welcomed as liberators and that the war would cost almost nothing, and Michael Chertoff, who as director of the Department of Homeland Security during Hurricane Katrina was unaware of the thousands of people stranded at the New Orleans convention center without food and water.

In Bushworld, in other words, playing a central role in catastrophic policy failure doesn’t disqualify you from future influence. If anything, a record of being disastrously wrong on national security issues seems to be a required credential.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

52. Enjoy your stay! I think you might be in the wrong place...

[hrmjustin]

55. I hope he enjoyed his stay.

[uppityperson]

56. It was educational and enlightening

[hrmjustin]

59. We hardly got to know him.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

57. Can you tell me what he said? I'm curious! n/t

[hrmjustin]

60. He said he belonged here and got booted from freeperville.

But he is rw so i don't know why they didn't love him.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

61. Maybe he held too many leftist points of view! Heh.

Thanks!

[hrmjustin]

62. You're welcome!

[hrmjustin]

53. Free republic is to the right.

Enjoy.

[Thinkingabout]

3. Jeb's answer was to snark Hillary and protect W.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED so he thought. This will haunt Jeb for the rest of the time he stays in the campaign, see, he shoud not take advice from W.

[mnhtnbb]

4. Oh, that's a good one.

But, of course, it's from a lefty in a left wing rag--according to all the righties--
so, sadly, it will only be us lefties applauding it.

[cwydro]

5. "Reign of error"

I love it.

[tk2kewl]

6. neocons don't think the war was a mistake. they want more of the same.

american's better wake up to that fact.

[Whiskeytide]

67. I agree. But they also ...

... Don't think their economic policies are failing. They think they're working out just fine.

[tk2kewl]

72. yup... exactly what they want

[greatlaurel]

7. That was one of his best columns. Thanks for the link!

Well said, Dr. Krugman, well said. It is too bad this will not get the air time on the talking head shows this weekend. Do you think any of the Sunday news programs will have Dr. Krugman on?

Thanks for posting!

[CTyankee]

9. don't count on it. I would love to see him tho. Sounds like he's doing a slow burn...

[greatlaurel]

16. I should have put in the sarcasm smilie after that question!

I do not think most of the news media people can comprehend Dr. Krugman's writings.

[joshdawg]

11. I'd kinda like to see Mr. K smack Chuckie down.

That would make it worth my while to watch MTP.

[greatlaurel]

13. It would be an action for sanity and intelligence!

These people on the news shows are quite ignorant of how the world functions. They have no ability to relate to any subject outside of their upper middle class suburban lives. It is quite astonishing how the vast majority of the news media are so stunted in their experiences.

[Hekate]

32. Sadly, Dr K does not interview well on TV. He has a brilliant mind...

...and there's no doubt I agree with his politics. But on a medium like TV he is not shown to his best advantage, because he is physically twitchy and vocally hesitant. It takes a bit of patience to let him get a complex thought out. There are interviewers who have done well by him: Jon Stewart, Bill Moyers, Charlie Rose.

The Sabbath Gasbags (as Calvin Trillin calls them) otoh want guests who skip lightly over the simple shallows of their opinions, have no patience with complexity or opposing views, and often as not, talk over each other in loud voices.

[underpants]

8. Excellent

[AngryDem001]

10. Fraternity of failure.

Could not have said it better myself.

Fucking beer-swilling, coke-snorting douchebags.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

28. Sounds like a good title for a mini-series! And a movie! Oh, and the coffee table book!

And a coloring book for the kiddos!

This phrase must not die!

P.S. - Love the Netscape logo, Ang.

[AngryDem001]

46. You mean a coloring book for Dubya,

don't ya?

Thanks for the Netscape love! I have some very fond memories of Netscape.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

70. Working there or the browser?

I recall when it came out and quickly replaced Mosaic - back in the days of IPOs that made people weathly in a single day. Different world. Solid browser.

[AngryDem001]

71. Fond memories of the browser.

I was 10 when my dad got our first Internet hook-up. That's why I use Firefox. It's the spiritual successor to Netscape.


It WAS a different world. People could make bank just by writing some HTML code.

[spanone]

12. he's right, bu$h has admitted that all his advisors were wrong. they, with his brother, fucked it up

[Dont call me Shirley]

14. Bushes = Sociopathic Tribalism

[IDemo]

15. This statement could be expanded to include the entire Republican party:

"In Bushworld, in other words, playing a central role in catastrophic policy failure doesn’t disqualify you from future influence. If anything, a record of being disastrously wrong on national security issues seems to be a required credential."

[calimary]

17. I was watching MSNBC this morning re: the college student who confronted jebbie yesterday

about his brother creating ISIS. And she had a great point. Jose Diaz-Balart had a grinning obviously-thrilled-to-be-ON-TEEVEEE!!!!! Newsweek "reporter" on, too. And he was happily yapping about how jeb handled it well and basically it's settled now and we can move on... and it was so exciting to be right there witnessing that confrontation... and Oh boy! And ol' Jose was pointing that out: there YOU are! We can see you right there in that scrum. And I thought - WHY THE HELL WEREN'T YOU ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS, GIGGLE BOY??? You were standing there smiling nervously because you were watching some kid with the nerve to tell the wannabe emperor he's parading around with no clothes on - basically doing YOUR job. Isn't that YOUR job, ed o'keefe? You "work" for the frickin' WASHINGTON POST, don't you?????

CRIMINY...

[daleanime]

18. Amen.....

[Backwoodsrider]

29. wasnt she cool!

I saw her last night on MSNBC, she did not have a problem being on national TV hope she continues pushing the envelope. Wonder if she belongs to a sorority.

[maddiemom]

66. Your last line is irrelevent snark. But, Good One!

[RR2]

19. Great article, everyone knows you will get ....

Dixie Chicked if you go against the evil empire.

The Dixie Chicks controversy 10 years later: Natalie Maines rehashes it
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/news/the-dixie-chicks-controversy-10-years-later-natalie-maines-rehashes-it#ZrXqGt2H048IuZG0.99

[GeorgeGist]

20. Delicious ...

It’s kind of a fraternity of failure: men and women united by a shared history of getting everything wrong, and refusing to admit it.

[radhika]

21. 'Let's Move On' never works - tell Pelosi and Obama too

I still lament that Speaker Pelosi was unwilling to open hearings on the Iraq War when the Dems regained control of both House and Senate. Rep. Henry Waxman had amassed a ton on evidence through his Government Reform Committee.

Even if the House did not move to impeachment, at least the American people would have had an airing of the missteps and collusion that was at the base. We might have save some lives.

Same when Obama was inaugurated with a strong mandate and support. "Americans want to look forward not back". Even if he granted pardons to the previous administration (of course, he's not really a pardoning kinda guy is he?) the world could have seen visible evidence that America had some sense of justice.

Thank you, whistle blowers of the world. You're all we have.

[JHB]

47. Heck, same when Clinton didn't press investigations of Reagan/Bush scandals...

...once finally the people being investigated no longer controlled the flow of information.

It was "look forward not back" version 1.0, and it allowed the Reagan underlings to claim "see? We did nothing wrong!"

And we all know how the Republicans treated Clinton for being so "reasonable" about everything.

[radhika]

49. K+R Indeed n/t

[AlbertCat]

22. men and women united by a shared history of getting everything wrong,

What a perfect description.

[samsingh]

25. krugman has got it right. can we stop pretending that the bushees are capable of offering

any decent leadership to the country.

jebie is now actually more stupid appearing than georgie - which i though was impossible. and neal is supposed to be the stuipd one.

[madokie]

26. Krugman is always a good read

in my book anyway.

[dpatbrown]

27. Tenets

One of the sacred tenets of the Neocons(Bush) is if you get stuck, LIE. Its now become an everyday occurrence of the present day GOP.

[Hekate]

30. "Take a moment to savor the cowardice and vileness of that last remark"

Words cannot convey just how much I admire Dr Krugman.

[skepticscott]

31. I have to disagree with him that any of this has hurt

Jeb's presidential prospects. Anyone intelligent enough for his column to resonate with will have ditched the Bush family and the Republican party ages ago. Anyone who would still even consider voting for Jeb Bush or any Republican for president isn't going to have what's left of their mind changed by this latest round of weaseling, hypocrisy and incompetence.

[Hekate]

34. Dismayingly enough, both Poppy and Dubya suffered from foot-in-mouth disease...

...and you know what happened to their political careers.

Be afraid, be very afraid, of what lurks in The Bushes.

[skepticscott]

45. Yes, the Bush family

pays people a huge shitload of money to make sure that this type of thing DOESN'T damage their political fortunes. And of course, the people ready to give Jeb tons of money for campaigning don't give a ratfuck about his ability to actually run the country.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

33. The Bush Crime Family has always surrounded themselves with sycophants.

[hifiguy]

35. krugman - a brazilian

BFEE - 0

[colorado_ufo]

36. Don't hold back, Dr. Krugman; tell us how you really feel!

Wow! Thank you for speaking for so many of us!

[CTyankee]

39. He was magnificent in this column. Set just the right tone.

[sendero]

37. Someone needs to tell Krugman...

... that Jeb is the "smart" Bush.

[world wide wally]

38. Best thing written about Jeb and the Bushes yet!

[Martin Eden]

40. 100th Rec!

Republicans live in bizzarro world. Unfortunately there are millions and millions of bizzarro voters.

[ffr]

41. "Will they get the chance to add more chapters to their reign of error?"

Not if someone brighter than a dim bulb uses the Republis own missteps against them in the 2016 ad campaigns.

It should be a fact of humiliation to stand up for Republis ideals or even be associated with the R political party. They're an embarrassment in running the government, but masters at ad campaigns to get them elected, I suppose.

[malaise]

42. Yep

great read

[BlancheSplanchnik]

43. superb analysis.

What’s going on here? My best explanation is that we’re witnessing the effects of extreme tribalism. On the modern right, everything is a political litmus test. Anyone who tried to think through the pros and cons of the Iraq war was, by definition, an enemy of President George W. Bush and probably hated America; anyone who questioned whether the Federal Reserve was really debasing the currency was surely an enemy of capitalism and freedom.

goddammit, I'm so fucking sick of these Fail Club Blowhards.

[Caretha]

48. I like Paul Krugman

but he gives way too much credence to this black hearted malfeasance known as the "Bush Family".

They didn't innocently make any mistakes...these miscreants knew exactly what they were doing and do not care about humanity one iota.

What was it that Bush Sr. said about "useless eaters". Don't forget it, because he meant exactly what he said, and his spawn is as evil and even stupider than he is.

[Thespian2]

50. K & R +++++++++++

Liked Krugman's definition of the GodOffalParty...


"It’s kind of a fraternity of failure: men and women united by a shared history of getting everything wrong, and refusing to admit it. Will they get the chance to add more chapters to their reign of error?"

[Whiskeytide]

58. I think Krugman has it wrong...

Last edited Sun May 17, 2015, 10:17 AM - Edit history (1)

He blames republican acceptance of being wrong about Iraq and the economy on a defiant intransigence and a fraternity of wrongness. Suggesting that you have to be wrong to be with the in crowd.

But the real problem is two different definitions of "wrong". They weren't "wrong" on Iraq. They're not "wrong" on the economy. What they did and do is EXACTLY what they perceive to be correct. The Iraq invasion had nothing to do with their stated reasons - so they don't give a shit about whether those fake reasons are perceived as wrong. Their economic policy is not intended to improve the lives of average Americans, so they don't give a rat's ass if the policy fails to do so. They're not getting to stay in their club because they're wrong, they're staying precisely because they're doing it right for their own purposes.

[onwardsand upwards]

74. Good point!

They want people to believe that they're bumblers, but they're not. They are achieving their aims, which are very simple and clear: maximizing the profits of the oil industry, the arms industry and, in general, the Carlisle Group (i.e., their families and friends).

They have been spectacularly successful, by their own yardsticks.

It's not a reign of error, it's a racket.

From Wikipedia:

"A racket is a service that is fraudulently offered to solve a problem, such as for a problem that does not actually exist, that will not be put into effect, or that would not otherwise exist if the racket did not exist. Conducting a racket is racketeering. Particularly, the potential problem may be caused by the same party that offers to solve it, although that fact may be concealed, with the specific intent to engender continual patronage for this party."

Apply this to the "War on Terror" ...

[Cha]

63. On the Economic side.. no wonder Krugman thinks so highly of Pres Obama.. he knows how

BAD it was and what the President accomplished in spite of unprecedented Obstruction.

He appreciates it.

As for bush2.. he eviscerated him royally in the NYT for all the world to see!

How can you be so gd dumb to first come out and say you wouldn't have done anything differently about Bombing Iraq.. has he been living under a gd rock for 12 years?

Mahalo CTyankee~

[tomp]

64. and what was obama's plan for dealing with these "errors" (read: crimes)...

..."we've got to look forward," i.e., no prosecutions. and weren't his economic advisors part of the problem?

[swilton]

69. Exactly

Until there is atonement, this will happen again....Holding those accountable will reign in the hubris, the triumphalism and the American exceptionalism. Only then can we become the great nation we were meant to be.

[DhhD]

73. Jeb is not asking for forgiveness so he is planning to continue in the Bush footsteps of war sales.

[Major Nikon]

65. Wolfowitz is a two time fuckup who cost us trillions both times

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_B

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Wolfowitz#Deputy_Secretary_of_Defense

Jeb listing him as an adviser means he's an order of magnitude dummer than his dipshit brother.

[Liberal_in_LA]

68. kick

[lastlib]

75. Loved this:

Take a moment to savor the cowardice and vileness of that last remark. And, no, that’s not hyperbole. Mr. Bush is trying to hide behind the troops, pretending that any criticism of political leaders — especially, of course, his brother, the commander in chief — is an attack on the courage and patriotism of those who paid the price for their superiors’ mistakes. That’s sinking very low, and it tells us a lot more about the candidate’s character than any number of up-close-and-personal interviews.

[woo me with science]

76. K&R