Paul Krugman

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

For what it's worth, I'm tentatively on the side of the techno-optimists 3/ https://t.co/uf847muLsx — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

You can see the big slowdown beginning around 1973, the decade of IT-led growth from 1995 to 2005, and the Great Stagnation since then — when we were promised flying cars but got 280 characters instead (good line, even if Peter Thiel is loathsome) 2/ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Tis the time to be thinking about the future, and one big question beyond 2021 is the prospects for technology. For background, here's the BLS measure of multifactor productivity — how economists (try to) measure the overall level of technology 1/ https://t.co/CxHU4zuk3O — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

But is it a leopard that eats people's faces? — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

What all this points to is an integrated view of fraudulence: people who lie about petty things also lie about big things. And of course both men were hired by Donald Trump 5/ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Navarro is a China hawk who doesn't seem to understand basic economics, also known for repeatedly citing an expert named "Ron Vara" who doesn't exist and is also an anagram of "Navarro" 4/ https://t.co/po7Cout9q8 — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

who didn't actually exist and was in fact Lott himself 3/ https://t.co/hjjLWQI4Zx — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

For those who don't know what I'm talking about, Lott was previously best known for fraudulent studies purporting to show that widespread ownership of firearms reduces crime — and also for glowing testimonials to his teaching by a former student named Mary Rosh ... 2/ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

So John Lott and Peter Navarro say that there was massive voter fraud, and Trump actually won. I'm sure that Mary Rosh and Ron Vara agree 1/ https://t.co/9BLg45NYyx — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

RT @KevinMKruse: There was a massive smallpox epidemic during the American Revolution. George Washington quarantined the infected, refused… — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

But their words, like silent raindrops fell / And echoed / In the wells of silence — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

RT @ThePlumLineGS: I just listened to a Bloomberg radio reporter claim Senate Republicans oppose larger stimulus checks because of concerns… — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

When the going gets tough, the phony tough guys go golfing — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Again, $2K for almost everyone is not great policy; much better to extend expanded UI until widespread vaccination. But selling matters, and near-universal checks are popular — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Agree with @mattyglesias that there is a tendency for progressives to regard any acknowledgement of partial success as selling out. By that standard, FDR was a failure; in reality, half a loaf isn't just better than none, it often makes 5/6 of a loaf possible 3/ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Similarly, they should talk about how much good the Affordable Care Act has done in this crisis. No, it's not single-payer — but it maintained health care for millions 2/ https://t.co/T7Ugi4yrn5 — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

The good isn't the enemy of the perfect. As @mattyglesias says, progressives should celebrate the achievements of the CARES Act, incomplete as they were, not act as if nothing was done 1/ https://t.co/rpIJAUxBvT — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Yglesias on UI 9/ https://t.co/yLXPahyg2T — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

So while analysts should try to get politicians to understand the economic realities, I don't think we should campaign against checks for (almost) everyone. They're not great policy, but they may be a necessary part of selling the deal 8/ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

On one side, what?? On the other, this shows that UI tends to be invisible in the political sphere, while the $1200 checks, while far less important in human terms, got all the attention. It's frustrating, but also an indication of how the politics works 7/ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

In a way, the very obtuseness of some politicians makes the case here. I keep seeing assertions from progressives that the US Covid response was stingy — completely overlooking the fact that the unemployed got $2400 a month in supplemental aid 6/ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

But is there a fixed amount to spend? No binding budget constraint for the feds, so this is all about politics. And my sense is that broad issuance of checks is actually kind of a loss leader, helping to sell a package that includes UI 5/ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

So if you have a fixed amount to spend, unemployment benefits and maybe small-business aid should be priorities, not checks that will in many cases go to people who are doing OK 4/ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

The key economic argument, which @crampell picks up on, is that given a slump that has affected people very unevenly, aid should concentrate on those actually suffering 3/ https://t.co/9PVyK4euDd — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

My take: the economics aren't very good, but the political economy may make such checks necessary 2/ https://t.co/XY7d9E8SDY https://t.co/EahrnNCGaj — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

The proposal for $2000 stimulus checks is divisive, and not along simple left-right lines. Lots of disagreement among progressives, with people like Bernie Sanders very pro but many others not on board. Both sides have a point 1/ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

RT @nytopinion: "While Reaganism will still be out there, it will now, even more than before, be zombie Reaganism — a doctrine that should… — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Surprise: big government really can help https://t.co/AW5K5rWuWQ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Couple that with the sniggering over Dr. Jill Biden. But we're told that liberals are the elitists who don't respect ordinary Americans 2/ — PolitiTweet.org

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Missed this at the time, but ran across it researching other stuff. Here's an editorial page that hired *Stephen Moore* sneering at the supposed lack of academic qualifications among Biden economists 1/ https://t.co/HKkx7s98EF — PolitiTweet.org