tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post4859304537945351946..comments2024-03-22T12:11:58.453-06:00Comments on Michael Offutt: In defense of Dr. Paul Krugman and how I think he's right about everythingMichael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-21692944478809082292015-01-20T07:26:02.879-07:002015-01-20T07:26:02.879-07:00I find myself nodding with a lot of what you have ...I find myself nodding with a lot of what you have here. History shows us how huge gaps between rich and poor, too much power in too few hands, etc. have disastrous consequences. Theresa Milsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477761307315565259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-28745497822214771172015-01-16T21:49:26.396-07:002015-01-16T21:49:26.396-07:00People don't argue on the internet because the...People don't argue on the internet because they want to learn something. They argue to argue. They believe that they are right, and they are determined to outshout everyone else. It's not worth your time.<br /><br />Did you see this on io9? http://io9.com/lokis-wager-is-why-you-cant-win-arguments-on-the-inter-1679484756 I think it sums things up nicely.Liz A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16531953467834426316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-25283466962372347442015-01-16T21:44:28.349-07:002015-01-16T21:44:28.349-07:00I think what pisses off the Ayn Rand libertarians ...I think what pisses off the Ayn Rand libertarians and other right wing nutcases is that events have proven Krugman to be correct again and again; the same goes for his fellow Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stieglitz. Krugman and Stieglitz have history and reality on their side, while the extremists have only their twisted politics and a weird philosophy that haven't worked and are hurting this country. If I had my way, Elizabeth Warren would be the next president and Krugman would be the her Secretary of the Treasury.<br /><br />In a somewhat related topic, I noticed this last week how the New York Times ran an editorial by Tom Hanks in which he praised Obama's plan to make community colleges almost free for Americans, thus helping struggling folks to get job training and move on up. Hanks pointed out that his own humble CC experience made him the man he is today, and judging by the hundreds of comments to his piece most people said that cheap or almost free community colleges changed their lives for the better. Then I saw a Wall Street Journal editorial about Obama's plan for community colleges, and you'd think the sky was falling and those colleges are mere cesspools full of inferior people. The arrogance of the 1% and their grubby minions really is out of control. Helenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14967821142796562697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-58089199531142808542015-01-16T20:00:07.869-07:002015-01-16T20:00:07.869-07:00Everyone has a right to their opinion. Sadly that ...Everyone has a right to their opinion. Sadly that also means the ones who think no one should have one can run their mouths too. Hoarding money will not help a country. What are they? Smaug's cousin?Sheena-kay Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17712661419116636671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-18892499081908099502015-01-16T18:25:59.308-07:002015-01-16T18:25:59.308-07:00Believe it or not, libertarian economics work. It&...Believe it or not, libertarian economics work. It's done well for the economies of the 3rd world, and in the olden days when it was called feudalism. <br /><br />So yes they work, but only for the few. Which isn't me nor you. Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08051255914419363819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-89789432032070224112015-01-16T17:47:01.719-07:002015-01-16T17:47:01.719-07:00In 1929 Herbert Hoover faced a collapsed economy a...In 1929 Herbert Hoover faced a collapsed economy and his Republican advisors urged him NOT to pour money into the economy, saying that business would straighten things out. Obama faced this same situation in 2009. People forget that the Republican method of improving the economy was tried, and it failed miserably.stephen Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17659054447637207734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-48486100187290245252015-01-16T13:20:56.533-07:002015-01-16T13:20:56.533-07:00Thanks for posting your views Mike. I don't pa...Thanks for posting your views Mike. I don't pay enough attention to politics - find it a losing battle for us little guys, especially as county or state employees - and enjoy a well thought out, opinionated rant. Gives me some perspective aside from the FB snippets and too convoluted talk shows.<br /><br />I do agree with Krugman about the income caps; there should not be such a disparity between the very rich and the very poor. Yep, I'm all for capitalism, but there needs to be some social equality about it. Equality is not quite the word I'm looking for. Hopefully you get the gist.dolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-4812705531032641402015-01-16T10:51:12.751-07:002015-01-16T10:51:12.751-07:00The only reason the economy hasn't truly impro...The only reason the economy hasn't truly improved has been the purposeful policies of the right, whether it's ensuring more money goes to the already well off or their austerity tactics or refusing to do any meaningful infrastructure bills and lots more obstructionism.Ted Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09022309459554237650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-7400482713368705032015-01-16T10:46:49.893-07:002015-01-16T10:46:49.893-07:00It's good to have an ally out here, Ted. I gue...It's good to have an ally out here, Ted. I guess I just live in the wrong state to be putting out talking points like the one I have here.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-42592323315833725932015-01-16T10:45:44.753-07:002015-01-16T10:45:44.753-07:00I hear all kinds of rhetoric on Facebook. Some peo...I hear all kinds of rhetoric on Facebook. Some people call for the dismantling of the Federal Reserve which just sounds crazy to me. We're lucky to have them. Their monetary policy (in my opinion) has pulled us back from the brink.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-71759051943578404302015-01-16T10:44:30.651-07:002015-01-16T10:44:30.651-07:00@Pat: You got screwed, and I'm sorry that happ...@Pat: You got screwed, and I'm sorry that happened to you, Pat. I am hopeful that our economy will improve and that we will all have jobs that pay a liveable wage. I think everyone deserves a liveable wage. I guess this "rant" of mine is born because I feel that Krugman is right on the money (and I'm glad that we have a Federal reserve that is more or less going that direction too) on how to get us back, yet there are tons of people out there who could derail the train and have us going over a cliff again. It makes me very depressed when I think about it.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-66752898841729947612015-01-16T07:28:43.369-07:002015-01-16T07:28:43.369-07:00I wish the economy would create a job for me.I wish the economy would create a job for me.PT Dillowayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09394481476862013009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-54631588389793948812015-01-16T05:17:54.621-07:002015-01-16T05:17:54.621-07:00If you look in the trending posts on Facebook you ...If you look in the trending posts on Facebook you will find all kinds of people arguing. They all seem to be on one side with no sign of ever considering that they might be wrong. Pretty much...a big waste of time to get involved.<br /><br />Facebook does bring people together. I've found that I've reconnected with distant friends and family. It's also helped me stay in touch with them. But in other areas people love to fight on FB. Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07922596724107742478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-5127867980140644752015-01-16T04:10:50.485-07:002015-01-16T04:10:50.485-07:00I agree with you all the way here, Michael, and th...I agree with you all the way here, Michael, and there are some of us out here who 'get it', though the idiot trolls are so numerous that it's hard to believe sometimes. Since the right is only working to benefit the wealthiest, the majority of the trolls are actually working hard to harm themselves (along with the country they supposedly love). And with college being purposely made more and more expensive, it becomes harder for anyone who isn't wealthy to attend, meaning these hordes of stupid people will only tend to grow larger over time.Ted Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09022309459554237650noreply@blogger.com