Paul Krugman: About that advisory board...

[Shiver]

Saw this at Paul Krugman's blog...

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/26/about-that-advisory-board/

A thought I’ve had: there have been some complaints from movement progressives about the centrism/orthodoxy of Obama’s economics appointments. To some extent this was unavoidable, I think: someone like the Treasury secretary has to be an experienced hand who can deal with Wall Street, and I haven’t heard anyone proposing particular individuals with clearer progressive credentials to hold that position. (And for those of you wondering about yours truly — I’m temperamentally unsuited, have never had any desire for the job, and probably have more influence as an outside gadfly than I ever could in DC.)

But the Obama administration’s new economics advisory board would seem like a very good place to give progressive economists a voice. There are a number of excellent people whom Obama might not want to put in line positions but would be very much worth bringing in to offer well-informed alternative views. At the risk of insulting those I forgot to mention, I would think immediately of James Galbraith, Larry Mishel, Dean Baker, Jared Bernstein.

Let’s see whether progressives do in fact get a seat at this particular table.

The part at the end of the first paragraph caught my attention, answering a question that had been on my mind after several people asked why he wasn't picked for Treasury.

[IndyOp]

1. Nice! Very nice! Paul is a good man. I wonder if Bush told him his nickname -

Krugman said that the only thing he wanted to find out when he visited the White House the other day was the nickname by which Bush referred to him. Krugman assumes he must have a nickname since Bush was so determined to nickname everyone else he disliked and even those he liked.

[Shiver]

2. Kick, just because

:crazy:

[TacticalPeek]

3. As long as we're dreaming: add Robert Kuttner

He was most excellent on This Week a few days ago, giving no quarter.

:thumbsup:

[Shiver]

4. Heh

Someone said the exact same thing in the comments section on th blog.

[Zhade]

5. I've been thinking that Obama making centrists push progressive policies will be awesome.

Assuming he does, it will teach them how wrong they've been all along.

[KoKo]

6. Thanks to Krugman...I would hope that there would be a "seat at table" for

the illustrious names he mentions.