Paul Krugman: Seduced and Betrayed by Donald Trump

[babylonsister]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/opinion/seduced-and-betrayed-by-donald-trump.html

Seduced and Betrayed by Donald Trump
Paul Krugman DEC. 2, 2016


Donald Trump won the Electoral College (though not the popular vote) on the strength of overwhelming support from working-class whites, who feel left behind by a changing economy and society. And they’re about to get their reward — the same reward that, throughout Mr. Trump’s career, has come to everyone who trusted his good intentions. Think Trump University.

Yes, the white working class is about to be betrayed.

The evidence of that coming betrayal is obvious in the choice of an array of pro-corporate, anti-labor figures for key positions. In particular, the most important story of the week — seriously, people, stop focusing on Trump Twitter — was the selection of Tom Price, an ardent opponent of Obamacare and advocate of Medicare privatization, as secretary of health and human services. This choice probably means that the Affordable Care Act is doomed — and Mr. Trump’s most enthusiastic supporters will be among the biggest losers.

The first thing you need to understand here is that Republican talk of “repeal and replace” has always been a fraud. The G.O.P. has spent six years claiming that it will come up with a replacement for Obamacare any day now; the reason it hasn’t delivered is that it can’t.

Obamacare looks the way it does because it has to: You can’t cover Americans with pre-existing conditions without requiring healthy people to sign up, and you can’t do that without subsidies to make insurance affordable.

snip//

And if and when the reality that workers are losing ground starts to sink in, I worry that the Trumpists will do what authoritarian governments often do to change the subject away from poor performance: go find an enemy.

Remember what I said about Trump Twitter. Even as he took a big step toward taking health insurance away from millions, Mr. Trump started ranting about taking citizenship away from flag-burners. This was not a coincidence.

The point is to keep your eye on what’s important. Millions of Americans have just been sucker-punched. They just don’t know it yet.

[Cha]

1. "I worry that the Trumpists will do what authoritarian governments often do to change the subject

away from poor performance: go find an enemy."

So predictable like bush2cheney but Paul Krugman astutely points it out now.

if any of them would happen to read him.. they would probably doubt what he's telling them.. too late now anyway.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Trump already set us up with an "enemy".

[Cha]

4. Yeah? I haven't paid too much attention to him..

Who's our enemy? England? Canada?

Oh you mean.. us?

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Some of us. No yellow stars since he's not picking on Jews, but...

there are many colors for Hispanics, Middle Easterners, liberals, the press...

[MADem]

16. Not picking on Jews....yet, anyway. Give him time.

He'll find something to get pissed off about.

I suppose it will be green crescents (green is said to be the prophet's favorite color in Islam and the crescent is the faith symbol) for the Muslims, he can reuse the pink triangles from Hitler's day for the LGBTQ community, and he'd probably go for something crude, rude and Trump - tasteless like a brown sombrero for the "illegals."

[moonscape]

14. The press. Legitimate press. n/t

[DetlefK]

3. Expect accusations that the Democrats are unpatriotic for not backing Trump's adventures.

"How dare you being against the Iraq-war!!!"

[Moostache]

10. Hope future Democratic hopefuls are paying attention and know their history...

Circa 2003-2004, an ambitious Illinois state Senator came out against the follies in the Middle East at a time when doing so was not the expedient thing to do. That decision changed history.

Anyone out there planning a political career in the 2020's, you better understand that placating Republicans on national security is a losing strategy. They will beat you up regardless, and when it comes time to explain your vote to progressives you will not be given much understanding for craven, opportunistic even pandering votes.

History is clear.
Trump and the GOP want wars? If you are a Democrat, then you make them own that war decision and you give no support for it, period.

[DetlefK]

12. In case you haven't noticed: Democrats have a better national sec. track-record than Republicans.

9/11? Bush.
The Afghanistan-war? Bush.
The Iraq-war? Bush.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq? Bush.
Ending the Iraq-war? Obama.
Killing Bin Laden? Obama.

The Democrats should DEFINITELY run on their track-record. Because the GOP has spent the last 8 years pretending that the 8 years of GWB never happened.

And Obama isn't going anyhwere. He will hold speeches for the 2020-election, for 2024, for 2028... The GOP has no Ex-Presidents they can invite.
Bush I? Too old.
GWB? He-shall-not-be-named.
Trump? Cannot stick to script and would wander off to rant about something totally unrelated.

[Cosmocat]

7. This is not IF, it is only a matter of what and when

there IS going to be some enemy or some tragedy that will be used to sheppard the dumb asses in this country to think that they have to stand behind the POTUS and GOP.

This IS going to happen.

[bdamomma]

8. another war perhaps

and all those who voted for him their sons will be killed for this poor excuse of a man.

They will be living in a nightmare that's if that's what those who voted for him really want.

[heaven05]

6. yep

[Xipe Totec]

9. They are about to get schooled at Trump University. nt

[NBachers]

11. Is this a plan to eliminate republican voters?

[MRDAWG]

13. Remember how "W" diverted us since he couldn't get Osama, to Saddam**

*

[BSdetect]

15. It ought to be obvious to them but when will it sink in?

They watch Faux Noise and that is Murdoch's little sewer for BS.