Message to Obama: Fire Summers. Hire Krugman.

I half agree with sjw @ #1 - fire Geitner, Hire Krugman.

Just fire Summers. Period.

I don't think President Obama or the Democrats are going to get anywhere until they knock the remaining pins out from under the Purity Driven Wingnuts.

In my fantasies, I hear the President at the State of the Union, telling Congress, the Nation and the World that the United States is going to embark on deficit reduction by raising taxes to pay for the stuff the previous administration did not pay for beginning with Iraq. Afghanistan. Medicare Part D.

We (on the left ) have to force the Republicans into corners, explaining every Sunday why they were so profligate during Bush's 8 years and such hypocrits now. Really, make the argument about them!

As Democrats renew their push to expand the war in Afghanistan, they are at odds over the timing, cost and scope of additional troop and equipment buildup, with the White House's concern about high budget deficits pitted against the eagerness of many in Congress to continue lining the pockets of the military/industrial complex.

Reading your post I just now came upon an idea (which probably isn't original, and most certainly contains many flaws and unintended consequences, and would be vigorously and successfully shot down in any case): we should disincentivize war making, and simultaneously fund such adventures as are deemed necessary, by increasing taxes on those providing supplies and support during a time of conflict (not strictly declared war). Such a tax should be a blanket cap on profit, and should ensure employment compensation is not means for an end run.

America at sea...

Benen:And with the White House apparently shifting its attention to deficit reduction -- a mistake, to be sure -- the task becomes that much more difficult.

A Democrat is president...

And so Big Media is naturally focusing on the deficit. And since Big Media controls the software running in John and Jane Dough's head, the Dem president needs to get out in front of this stupid wave and surf it. Not because the growing debt is a pressing problem, but because Big Media says it is so.

You might argue this is a cowardly thing for the Administration to do. I argue instead it is a shrewd and wonderfully cynical thing to do. Why? Because the country is basically ungovernable.

And when a country becomes ungovernable, what matters isn't governing itself but the perception of governing. Obama likened the nation to a great ocean liner that he was trying to nudge into a new direction. That's only nominally true. The ocean liner isn't "great" anymore. It isn't churning along under steam. Rather the engines are down and it is coasting to a standstill. Two helms are screaming at each other and "rowing" madly in two different directions...

All Obama really can do then is try to nudge the oaring a bit, and play his captaincy as shrewdly and cynically as possible to get reelected.

Kore, we're not arguing that its cowardly, we're arguing that it will kill his Presidency,

In 2012, if Unemployment is at 4-6% and Obama has done nothing about the deficit, then he will win. If Unemployment is at 8-10%, and he's paid down half the national debt, he will be massacred.

We're not the ones who are clueless about the realities of politics here.

Unemployment is getting out of control.

How on earth can we justify spending an additional 35 billion in Afghanistan (minimum cost per year for the 35,000 new troops)?

Waging war is ruining our economy. Don't we get it yet? We simply cannot afford the huge defense expenditures. The return on tax-payers' dollars is
very suspect when it comes to our mis-adventures in the MidEast.

Koreyel: You didn't mention the hurricane force winds of international power and finance that are blowing from the port side and we are about to be rolled over. I think the captain will go down with his ship along with the rest of us.

But I'm glad to see Chuck Schumer is reading my posts.

My wife lost her job Oct. 31st when they eliminated her position to save a few bucks. She has a decade of experience, fantastic references, and has sent out two dozen resumes over the past month, many for jobs for which she's over-qualified.

She's had one phone interview. That's it.

It's simple, really: Voters may say they care about our national debt, but they'll forget that worry quickly once they have no food, utilities, or even a place to live.

This nation needs work. Lots of it. And the time is now for the gov't to help create some.

And, quite frankly, anyone who thinks the deficit is more important than creating jobs is a delusional fucktwit who should be ignored forever. Period.

Krugman can't even keep his subject context correct. He talks about college graduates having issues then chats about having a ditch-digging jobs program. What a complete and utter moron.

What doesn't he understand about small business creating jobs that escapes him. Wow...