Obama Tried to Placate Liberal Economists

[ProSense]

Obama Tried to Placate Liberal Economists

Before hailing tax deal, he made quiet pitch to Krugman, Stiglitz, and other disillusionati.

By Michael Hirsh

<...>

What the president didn’t say was that a few hours earlier he had met with and tried to assauge some his most vociferous liberal critics -- economists Paul Krugman, Joseph Stiglitz, Jeffrey Sachs, Alan Blinder, and Robert Reich, the former Labor secretary.

<...>

Krugman, a columnist for The New York Times, has been an especially relentless critic of the president’s economic policies, from the administration’s original stimulus plan, which he called too small, to Democrats' recent financial reform law, which he said was too mild. Most recently, Krugman came out against the tax-compromise plan, saying it “is likely to deliver relatively small benefits in return for very large costs.”

Asked to comment on his part in the meeting, Krugman responded on Friday by e-mail: "Sorry, I don't think it's my place to discuss the content. I will say that as far as I know, I wasn't especially vociferous -- nowhere near up to my usual standards."

<...>

“Those of us who live near the top of the income pyramid are doing very nicely, thank you,'' Alan Blinder, a former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve and a professor of economics at Princeton University, wrote in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal on Friday. "Yet our government keeps showering us with Christmas presents. Meanwhile, economic life is pretty miserable for those near the bottom and is getting worse for those in the middle."

more

Hirsh's reporting leaves a lot to be desired, but it's still interesting that this meeting took place.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

1. "A few hours earlier"?

How magnanimous of him. Whole hours!

[Uzybone]

2. so predictable

unless the President resigns some of y'all will never be happy.

He should just hand over the Oval Office to bloggers and oped columnists.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Krugman--a discreet and tactful man. I like him.

[Uzybone]

4. I love Prof Krugman

he is scathing when he disagrees about something; but to his credit, he acknowledges that he doest really add the reality of politics into his conclusions.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

8. Problem? n/t

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Uzybone]

10. relax...its just a discussion board

you are losing control

[ProudDad]

5. "tried to assauge"

You should check your dictionary...or google "assuage"...

This means he tried to keep them from telling some inconvenient truths while he was working on the surrender...

Here's Robert Reich's take...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x569386

[bornskeptic]

13. Maybe you should adress your complaints on spelling to the National Journal.

[pansypoo53219]

11. if the economy double dips, O

can blame the republikkklan tax cuts.

2 years.

[hulka38]

12. You're better off trying to placate these people

with deeds not words.

[vaberella]

14. Okay so now Krugman is on the fence once he's got all the facts?!

~sigh~