Poor Paul Krugman

PAUL KRUGMAN

Is Poor Economic Sentiment All About MAGA?

He's on the endless "things aren't as bad as they seem America!" rosy-glasses economic beat.  Thing is, he'ss no true Pollyanna like David Brooks, being serviced by his comely young second wife pumping up the endorphins, I don't think...

Were I running the NYT, I would temporarily suspend Paul's column, which has been on autopilot for the past months ("America, America?  I ran the current numbers through my models and there is no reason for this gloom!  Things are GREAT economically, why all this pessimism?") and rent him a nice non-descript sedan or SUV to travel the country for four weeks...

He is absolutely clueless to the economic needs being faced by the communities that are working to shelter and feed and educate hundreds of thousands of newcomerss in need.  The built up, wealthy places are not absorbing almost any.  People like Paul have blinders on...

We already see it in our stores, schools, restaurants (people can spend a looong time inside sheltering at fast-food highway oasis' and public spots to stay warm indoors w/family).  This isn't just workers anymore, this is women with children = immediate needs.

Once here, they are not going away.  By the time people like Paul acknowledge the needs to come in this country, the crisis on the streets of the homeless and drug addled, it will be too late to address the coming ecnomic storm.  Then, he'll tell us:  well things changed!  Times WERE great back in 2024 -- lower gas prices, inflation from the government boost to food stamps coming down in the stores (haha -- nothing ever comes down when it goes up like that...), rents beginning to stabilize (again, haha, the demand is here; there's not enough places to live in America anymore affordably...).

The American people are pessimistic, Paul, because we can open our eyes and see economic reality.  How will the country support all the people, when we have so much unmet need even today?  Do you just pretend not to see it, and caveat your work with, "well for stockholders or people at the top, things are good!" ?

People aren't pessimistic, they are realistic, Paul.  Get in that van -- that's it!  it should be a van, not a sedan or SUV!  a sprinter van! -- no writing your PositivePaul columns, just observving things as they are and as they will be, for some time to come...

He's not a stupid man, just a sheltered one.  But many realists like him, understand what is coming in the years to come, and that is why they are socking it away for future progeny.  Everybody knows:  there will not be enough to go around in times to come in America.

If you're just concerned with the top tier of the Two Americas, then Paul's pretty spin is probably accurate *ie/ folks like him, and Hunter Biden, won't feel the hurt/economic pain the way others do and will...

But smarter people in his boat know that other boats even well built ones will get sucked under too as the other half of the country goes under...

Hth -- maybe invest in the Sprinter van -- you know, like the ones peeople deliver packages in trying to make ends meet -- instead of renting it?  They could use it for other reporters too, willing to venture out into the country and cover the news as it is, not just from the comforts of home...

lol, could you imagine Maureen Dowd and Frank Bruni bustin out, say, and reporting their political columns not just from a desk with a thesaurus, with with facts on the ground? lol.  Nope?  Me neither.  Soft like that, they are.  Comfortable like a well made quiche, but soft...