Recently, Paul Krugman , the prolific New York Times political columnist, Princeton economics professor and best selling author, was interviewed by Tom Fudge on the KPBS program "These Days." Mr. Krugman was on the air discussing his new book, The Conscience of a Liberal , about the demise of the country from "strong democratic values and broadly shared prosperity" into a nation divided by the new Gilded Age.
His book is thought-provoking, not just because it proposes a restoration of New Deal social programs -- i.e., when Franklin D. Roosevelt's government did more to build a strong middle class than today's under funding of public schools, union busting, and "borrowing" from Social Security to pay off federal debts-- but also because the book draws an impenetrable line between liberals and "new conservatives," or "goal movement conservatism," as Krugman calls it in his book.
So why did his comments that there is no middle ground between liberal and conservative philosophies, and that fighting hard against Republican ideas is a necessary thing, really strike me as being regressive instead of progressive?
michael valentine
from spring Valley
June 12, 2008 at 03:35 AM
Mr. Krugman is old school liberal and it shows. No middle ground? Why continue to nurse old grudges while little gets done and the people grow weary of political games.
Obama will assemble a cabinet that is talented and reaches out to disaffected Republicans and independents that weary of a mindless war mentality with deficits that outpace our ability to repay the public debt. Leaving a $60,000 public debt for every child born in the good old U.S.A. is not now, nor has it ever been alright.
The Republican government has for the last eight years rang up the public credit card and doubled our debt to nine trillion dollars. (Nine million piles of one million dollars each.) Tens of billions of dollars go missing in Iraq ..... a war so mismanaged that it now seems an endless occupation of a war zone that continues to drain the economy.
A war predicated on lies from an Administration that was looking for an excuse to attack Iraq, has wrecked the American Government and Constitution and lowered the value of the dollar some 60%. A barrel of oil goes for $155 U.S. from $30 since the start of the Bush War. Some OPEC countries express a preference for Euro dollars.
Alma Sove from San Diego
June 12, 2008 at 11:32 PM
Hi Michael,
The rising deficits are absolutely mind numbing. Nice job pointing out how a bleak financial picture affects all members of all political persuasions, presently and in the future. Now is not the time to build thicker walls.
Thanks for posting your comments.
Matthew C. Scallon
June 13, 2008 at 06:52 AM
For that matter, since when is everyone one or the other on every issue?
I am an environmentalist and, as one who's one half of an interracial marriage, support affirmative action. Based on these, I might be labeled a liberal.
I am pro-life and support the sanctity of marriage. Based on this, I would be branded a conservative (don't worry; it only stings the first time).
On other issues, I'm open to persuasion. I guess that leaves me one of those flip-flopping moderates.
