Comments on: Hold On, It's Worse Than You Thought http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/06/hold-on-its-worse-than-you-thought/ A blog about politics. Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:23:26 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Some Always Win « Just Above Sunset http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/06/hold-on-its-worse-than-you-thought/comment-page-1/#comment-32345 Some Always Win « Just Above Sunset Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:59:53 +0000 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/?p=9455#comment-32345 [...] Michael Scherer at Time’s Swampland for what seems to be the real story – that this stimulus stuff will fail, which he says is “the political outcome that [...] [...] Michael Scherer at Time’s Swampland for what seems to be the real story – that this stimulus stuff will fail, which he says is “the political outcome that [...]

]]> By: Cliff http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/06/hold-on-its-worse-than-you-thought/comment-page-1/#comment-32323 Cliff Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:55:56 +0000 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/?p=9455#comment-32323 <i>s still freakin' $700 billion dollars in government spending to right the Economy!</i> . Except that, from what I gather, the banks have taken that money, thanked Paulson kindly, and placed it gently but firmly into their pockets, never to see the light of day. s still freakin' $700 billion dollars in government spending to right the Economy!
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Except that, from what I gather, the banks have taken that money, thanked Paulson kindly, and placed it gently but firmly into their pockets, never to see the light of day.

]]> By: Cliff http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/06/hold-on-its-worse-than-you-thought/comment-page-1/#comment-32322 Cliff Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:51:10 +0000 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/?p=9455#comment-32322 joyomama, I am right there with you. On the economy <b>and</b> on health care. (And yes, I know the two are related but we all like to pretend they're not, just like we like to pretend that Reid is a good Senator and William Kristol knows what he's talking about.) joyomama, I am right there with you. On the economy and on health care. (And yes, I know the two are related but we all like to pretend they're not, just like we like to pretend that Reid is a good Senator and William Kristol knows what he's talking about.)

]]> By: joyomama http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/06/hold-on-its-worse-than-you-thought/comment-page-1/#comment-32303 joyomama Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:48:30 +0000 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/?p=9455#comment-32303 OK, OK, it's been a long day at the archives and I'm feeling especially dim-witted, but am I the only one wishing that (a) I had paid more attention in the ECON classes I was forced to take and/or that (b) the ECON classes I was forced to take had actually made more sense? I am a smart, educated person and when ever the subject turns to the economic meltdown and how to fix it, all my brain hears is the grown-ups in Peanuts going "wanh-wah-wah". Please someone point me to a primer that won't scare me silly. OK, OK, it's been a long day at the archives and I'm feeling especially dim-witted, but am I the only one wishing that (a) I had paid more attention in the ECON classes I was forced to take and/or that (b) the ECON classes I was forced to take had actually made more sense? I am a smart, educated person and when ever the subject turns to the economic meltdown and how to fix it, all my brain hears is the grown-ups in Peanuts going "wanh-wah-wah". Please someone point me to a primer that won't scare me silly.

]]> By: 53_3 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/06/hold-on-its-worse-than-you-thought/comment-page-1/#comment-32293 53_3 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:23:11 +0000 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/?p=9455#comment-32293 <i>"Don't trickle down on me."</i> . Too late. The GOP already did. See above. "Don't trickle down on me."
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Too late. The GOP already did. See above.

]]> By: 53_3 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/06/hold-on-its-worse-than-you-thought/comment-page-1/#comment-32292 53_3 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:22:16 +0000 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/?p=9455#comment-32292 <i>"What's the effect of THAT number and distribution?" Then again, the math to calculate the impact of the TARP program may not be so simple as the Obama plan -- which Krugman could be exploiting to argue for a richer Obama plan. A Conservative would probably dock Krugman for not explicitly discussing the TARP's Economic impact by name.</i> . Um, except for the fact that the Republicans have already shrewdly shipped $6,900,000,000,000 out the back door of the treasury. . And Bernanke, Paulson and Kashkari (what's in a name...) ain't tellin' jist who's gittin it... "What's the effect of THAT number and distribution?" Then again, the math to calculate the impact of the TARP program may not be so simple as the Obama plan -- which Krugman could be exploiting to argue for a richer Obama plan. A Conservative would probably dock Krugman for not explicitly discussing the TARP's Economic impact by name.
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Um, except for the fact that the Republicans have already shrewdly shipped $6,900,000,000,000 out the back door of the treasury.
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And Bernanke, Paulson and Kashkari (what's in a name...) ain't tellin' jist who's gittin it...

]]> By: railyardtoreador http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/06/hold-on-its-worse-than-you-thought/comment-page-1/#comment-32290 railyardtoreador Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:16:59 +0000 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/?p=9455#comment-32290 As Mr. Scherer subtly alludes to, Paul Krugman's analysis doesn't take into account the $700 billion dollars of TARP government spending, which while strictly speaking from an Academic perspective may not exactly be "Stimulus", is still freakin' $700 billion dollars in government spending to right the Economy!A dumb person, like myself, would read his analysis and wonder, "So, he's saying $775 billion isn't enough. Add the TARP and that's 1.475 trillion the government is spending over 2 1/3 years (?) to stimulate the Economy. What's the effect of THAT number and distribution?" Then again, the math to calculate the impact of the TARP program may not be so simple as the Obama plan -- which Krugman could be exploiting to argue for a richer Obama plan. A Conservative would probably dock Krugman for not explicitly discussing the TARP's Economic impact by name. (Although he does say "In particular, letting businesses get refunds on past taxes based on current losses, which is reportedly a key feature of the plan, looks an awful lot like a lump-sum transfer with no incentive effects." Which I believe you'll find in your Democratic Gideon under "Don't trickle down on me.") As Mr. Scherer subtly alludes to, Paul Krugman's analysis doesn't take into account the $700 billion dollars of TARP government spending, which while strictly speaking from an Academic perspective may not exactly be "Stimulus", is still freakin' $700 billion dollars in government spending to right the Economy!A dumb person, like myself, would read his analysis and wonder, "So, he's saying $775 billion isn't enough. Add the TARP and that's 1.475 trillion the government is spending over 2 1/3 years (?) to stimulate the Economy. What's the effect of THAT number and distribution?" Then again, the math to calculate the impact of the TARP program may not be so simple as the Obama plan -- which Krugman could be exploiting to argue for a richer Obama plan. A Conservative would probably dock Krugman for not explicitly discussing the TARP's Economic impact by name.

(Although he does say "In particular, letting businesses get refunds on past taxes based on current losses, which is reportedly a key feature of the plan, looks an awful lot like a lump-sum transfer with no incentive effects." Which I believe you'll find in your Democratic Gideon under "Don't trickle down on me.")

]]> By: 53_3 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/06/hold-on-its-worse-than-you-thought/comment-page-1/#comment-32257 53_3 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:25:08 +0000 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/?p=9455#comment-32257 <i>"It's not about governing, it's about messaging."</i> . Messaging what? The wrong head? "It's not about governing, it's about messaging."
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Messaging what? The wrong head?

]]> By: 53_3 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/06/hold-on-its-worse-than-you-thought/comment-page-1/#comment-32255 53_3 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:23:22 +0000 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/?p=9455#comment-32255 <i>"Also, several billion years from now, the universe will be expanding so quickly that residents of any particular matter cluster (if they happen to exist) will not be able to observe any other cluster of matter, so they'll be ignorant of the early history of the universe."</i> Wow. Cliff's observation is a cogent one, and here is the corollary: . From January, 2000: Also, several years from now, the American peoples' knowledge will be expanding so quickly that residents of the Republican party will not be able to observe any facts whatsoever, so they'll be ignorant of even the most recent history of the United States. . I think this proves beyond a shadow of Saltsmans' doubt that the Universe is an existential threat to the Republican party. . Oh, well, we'll just have to have it razed and build a new one... "Also, several billion years from now, the universe will be expanding so quickly that residents of any particular matter cluster (if they happen to exist) will not be able to observe any other cluster of matter, so they'll be ignorant of the early history of the universe."
Wow.
Cliff's observation is a cogent one, and here is the corollary:
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From January, 2000:
Also, several years from now, the American peoples' knowledge will be expanding so quickly that residents of the Republican party will not be able to observe any facts whatsoever, so they'll be ignorant of even the most recent history of the United States.
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I think this proves beyond a shadow of Saltsmans' doubt that the Universe is an existential threat to the Republican party.
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Oh, well, we'll just have to have it razed and build a new one...

]]> By: shepherdwong http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/06/hold-on-its-worse-than-you-thought/comment-page-1/#comment-32239 shepherdwong Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:52:52 +0000 http://swampland.blogs.time.com/?p=9455#comment-32239 <i>"It's not about governing, it's about messaging."</i> . You betcha! "It's not about governing, it's about messaging."
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You betcha!

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