Monday, May 6, 2013

UPDATE: Just as basketball doesn’t define who I am, neither does being gay.Daily Kos: "The Chutzpah Caucus"

Daily Kos: Krugman writes about "The Chutzpah Caucus":



"Just as basketball doesn’t define who I am, neither does being gay."

That is just one line from Griner Is Part of Mission to Help All Live in Truth, a New York Times op ed by the two-time Naismith Trophy winner that i urge people to read.
She begins by praising Jason Collins for his recent statement, expresses a hope that it will indicate our approaching a new era when
people accept and celebrate one another’s differences. I think that’s what makes life beautiful: everyone is different and we can all learn from one another.
 and immediately notes that it takes a lot of courage to come out.She explains that she first came out to her mom in an unplanned utterance in 9th grade.  Her mother simply hugged her and said she loved her, which enable Griner to write
I knew then that it didn’t matter what my sexuality was; my mom and family would always love me for who I am. For me, the simplicity behind coming out was both powerful and beautiful. No drama, just acceptance and love.
But acceptance by her family was not the only experience with which she had to live.


Krugman writes about "The Chutzpah Caucus"

in this op-ed for Monday's New York Times.
There is much solid economic history, taking about the arguments of those who still advocate for the now thoroughly discredit approach of austerity.  Krugman takes their claims and presents the history that proves them wrong. I will present the arguments in Italics and follow with summaries of Krugman's rebuttals.  For example.
Stimulus programs never go away  - in fact, they are rare and short-lived. FDR cut back on his in 1937, plunging the country back into recession, Obama's peaked in 2010 and has faded, which is a major reason the recovery is struggling.
programs to help those hurt go on forever - not really.  When employment recovers unemployment goes down, and are now down to half of their recent peak.  Food support also fluctuates.
The Keynesian idea to run deficits in bad times is supposed to be accompanied by paying down debt in good times, and that won't happen - well, Krugman says what you need to look at is the ratio of debt to GDP, not just raw numbers.  And now he gets blunt:
And if you look at United States history since World War II, you find that of the 10 presidents who preceded Barack Obama, seven left office with a debt ratio lower than when they came in. Who