Shout out to Obama adviser Austan Goolsbee, recipient of the 2008 Keeping it Real award

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

I wrote two posts yesterday complaining that the infantilization of economic argument (abetted by both parties, though the pugs are worse) makes it impossible to properly counter John McCain's single most disastrous and disqualifying policy proposal: A government spending freeze and short-term goal of a balanced budget. (Which was Herbert Hoover's reaction to economic crisis.)

I said it would ne nice to see a presidential candidate willing to defend the basic, seemingly uncontroversial tenets of the Keynesian economic theory employed (to varying degrees) by all modern industrial democracies for the last several generations. (HINT: Family finances are a piss-poor analog for the world's largest economy. For starters, families don't control the money supply.)

Well, this morning Obama economic adviser Austan Goolsbee was on MSNBC and was asked the perennial talking-head question: How does Obama you plan to pay for all these stimulus proposals?

Goolbee replied:

If you pay for it it's not stimulative

The startled talking head said, "So you're talking about deficit spending?" Goolsbee said, "Yes."


THANK YOU! Maybe not ideal politics, but very refreshing.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7435289

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7436598&mesg_id=7436598

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. ---

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. ---

[uponit7771]

2. You know, I heard Bush had a 70% approval rating while Gov of Texas but when he got around...

...his homeboys in Washington he reverted back to the childish street thug he was before he became governor.

Listening to Obama's sphere of influence I have confidence he'll keep it real for a long, long time.

[MamaDem]

3. Where has he been? I really like him!!!! nt

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

4. He's ben with the Obama campaign from the start, but isn't on TV so much

[Barack_America]

7. I think it's because he gets a bit hot...

He's passionate.

It's effective for him, but clashes with the official Obama campaign "essence of cool" policy.

I've also heard him go off message a couple of times when he gets riled up. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I don't like the guy.

[Barack_America]

6. He might be interested in this new McCain policy...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7449007&mesg_id=7449007

What spending freeze? They're just out to slash social services.