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Edited on Tue Oct-07-03 12:09 PM by Skinner
Look at the utter nonsense that he posted on his site:
FACE TO FACE WITH EVIL I did something tonight I wish I hadn't done. I met Paul Krugman.
I thought it would be fun. I thought I could throw a tough question at him, or get him to autograph a copy of The Great Unraveling for me before he realized who I was. But there was nothing fun about this experience. I have looked evil in the face. I've been in the same room with it. I don't know how else to describe my feelings now except to say that I feel unclean, and I'm having to fight being afraid.
Krugman spoke tonight as part of his seemingly endless tour touting his book, in an auditorium on the campus of the University of California at San Diego. He was introduced by some university potentate, who -- obviously not well versed in matters of sporting -- described Krugman's dual success in academic economics and punditry as making him "the only player to win the triple crown in both leagues." He went on to say how deeply divided opinion about Krugman is, how "some people say, 'God bless Paul Krugman!'" at which point the auditorium erupted in cheers and applause. When he got to what the other people say -- which wasn't by any means what the other people (like me) really say -- there was some murmuring; no applause. Who'd risk it there... you'd be lynched!
When Krugman strode up to the podium, more thunderous applause and cheering. Krugman latched onto the crowd's adoring energy, and gave a half-hour speech that was tight, crisp, funny, and persuasive. The nervous, stammering, shifty-eyed, tongue-tied nebbish that is Paul Krugman on television was gone, and in his place was someone who spoke with a voice as clear and confident as one of his New York Times columns. But also just like his Times columns, Krugman's speech was a non-stop barrage of lies, exaggerations, innuendos, and distortions. And the audience ate it up and asked for seconds.
At the end of the speech, ushers collected questions written on 3-by-5 cards, and handed them all to Krugman, who got to pick which ones he'd answer (we're not taking a lot of chances here). The very first one asked whether Krugman would advise a foreigner to emigrate to America at this time (considering that Krugman argues that America is going down the drain). Krugman's answer was that if you didn't know in advance where you'd end up in America's economic structure, you'd never want to come here. "It's so cruel, so harsh now." Could there be a better statement of the very essence of Krugman's political vision? He simply discounts any possibility of growth, or opportunity, or social mobility -- or, perhaps more accurately, sees the pursuit of them as so fraught with risk that no sane person would take it on. In his world-view the sane person would always opt for certainty and safety -- a comfortable safety-net below which one will never fall, even if the cost of that net is that there is also a ceiling above which you will never rise. How does he explain to himself the fact that millions of people are clamoring to get into America, risking life and limb to get into America by hook or by crook, and entering it at the lowest possible level -- anything to avail themselves of an opportunity for freedom and advancement. His is the fearful world-view that sees libertarians like Grover Norquist -- people who want to shrink the size of government and allow Americans the opportunity to be more self-reliant -- as dangerous radicals. And the cheering audience suggests that there's quite a market out there for fear.
EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT
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