Answer: There's not a single mention of the US ground war in Afghanistan, which is bleeding the country white for no reason whatsoever. How in blazes can you discuss federal spending, federal budget deficits and economic malaise without relating to this boondoggle? Beats me.
Krugman writes:
"Conservatives love to pretend that there are vast armies of government bureaucrats doing who knows what; in reality, a majority of government workers are employed providing either education (teachers) or public protection (police officers and firefighters)."
Well, I don't think there can be any argument that there is a vast army of brave American soldiers in Afghanistan "doing who knows what," and it's high time to bring them home, before any more die or are maimed.
The US federal government, which is running trillion dollar deficits, should lend money to bankrupt state and local governments to hire teachers and policemen? I agree. It's far more productive than making Solyndra-type loans, but let's first put an end to that insane war that Obama escalated.
Obama is avoiding the issue of Afghanistan as we approach November, and so is Krugman. This is worse than dishonest.
I sadly must admit that Krugman and honesty don't go together. Frankly, such a success doesn't come to honest people. There are countless opportunities in academia to demonstrate one's decency (and almost automatically be derailed in one's career). I have no doubt that Krugman was flapping his eyelashes and smiling carnegie-ally at each such opportunity at best. Most probably he did more than that and participated eagerly in orchestrated witch hunts the way he now promotes Beinart or attacks Israel as ordered by his additional masters in the NYT and as his financial interests and unlimited ambition (messianic?) dictate. Bastard. An absolute and perfect bastard.
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