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Paul Krugman: It takes a party
Prescription for the 2016 election: read, and re-read this column, as needed, whenever you might feel disappointment about individual candidates, and especially when you find yourself falling into the meme-trap of "both parties are the same". Re-read, rinse and repeat.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/13/opinion/it-takes-a-party.html?ref=opinion&_r=0
So Hillary Clinton is officially running, to nobodys surprise. And you know whats coming: endless attempts to psychoanalyze the candidate, endless attempts to read significance into what she says or doesnt say about President Obama, endless thumb-sucking about her positioning on this or that issue.
Please pay no attention. Personality-based political analysis is always a dubious venture in my experience, pundits are terrible judges of character. Those old enough to remember the 2000 election may also remember how we were assured that George W. Bush was a nice, affable fellow who would pursue moderate, bipartisan policies.
In any case, there has never been a time in American history when the alleged personal traits of candidates mattered less. As we head into 2016, each party is quite unified on major policy issues and these unified positions are very far from each other. The huge, substantive gulf between the parties will be reflected in the policy positions of whomever they nominate, and will almost surely be reflected in the actual policies adopted by whoever wins.
. ..
As you can probably tell, Im dreading the next 18 months, which will be full of sound bites and fury, signifying nothing. O.K., I guess we might learn a few things Where will Ms. Clinton come out on trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership? How much influence will Republican Fed-bashers exert? but the differences between the parties are so clear and dramatic that its hard to see how anyone who has been paying attention could be undecided even now, or be induced to change his or her mind between now and the election. One thing is for sure: American voters will be getting a real choice. May the best party win.
Please pay no attention. Personality-based political analysis is always a dubious venture in my experience, pundits are terrible judges of character. Those old enough to remember the 2000 election may also remember how we were assured that George W. Bush was a nice, affable fellow who would pursue moderate, bipartisan policies.
In any case, there has never been a time in American history when the alleged personal traits of candidates mattered less. As we head into 2016, each party is quite unified on major policy issues and these unified positions are very far from each other. The huge, substantive gulf between the parties will be reflected in the policy positions of whomever they nominate, and will almost surely be reflected in the actual policies adopted by whoever wins.
. ..
As you can probably tell, Im dreading the next 18 months, which will be full of sound bites and fury, signifying nothing. O.K., I guess we might learn a few things Where will Ms. Clinton come out on trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership? How much influence will Republican Fed-bashers exert? but the differences between the parties are so clear and dramatic that its hard to see how anyone who has been paying attention could be undecided even now, or be induced to change his or her mind between now and the election. One thing is for sure: American voters will be getting a real choice. May the best party win.
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Paul Krugman: It takes a party (Original Post)
MBS
Apr 2015
OP
CTyankee
(63,912 posts)1. great column today by this master...
of course, I always agree with Dr. K because he is clear on what I firmly believe that there really is no even handedness in our politics. ...
freshwest
(53,661 posts)2. Thanks very much for this. n/t
MBS
(9,688 posts)3. and thanks for the timely reminder.
We REALLY need to keep the White House in 2016.(not to mention take back the Senate).
freshwest
(53,661 posts)4. I referred to this in another thread: