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Politics : View from the Center and Left

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To: Mary Cluney who wrote (103584)2/9/2009 7:01:16 PM
From: Bread Upon The Water  Read Replies (2) of 541997
 
I don't think it is possible to really understand what economists are basing there conclusions on without doing some economic course work--and then the light will probably only begin to shine if one has some facility with statistical equations.

As lay people we have to be content with succinct summations of their positions and then draw our own conclusions.

As to this very interesting piece of Krugman's you posted, I don't think of this as much as an economic piece, but as a political opinion by someone who is an economist.

It is a policy argument. It goes to the heart of what one thinks the role of government is and should be.

Reasonable minds can differ on that question.

One of my main arguments with the Obama team is though, to me, they are acting like they have some kind of mandate to change the basic social safety net WITHOUT DEBATING IT.

Its like "How dare you question us?"as they get ready to radically alter what has been. It may need altering, no question, BUT DON'T SNEAK IT BY US.

Saving the banking system is one thing (and you can have a debate whether we should let it fail), but the assumption is if you don't save it then the entire economic system fails.

If one buys that premise then one buys into TARP funding etc.

But, for me, that is a separate question from the one of: HOW MUCH OF SOCIAL WELFARE SATE DO WE WANT TO BE?

And that is one of my main sticking points with the gentlemen in charge.
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