[lbo-talk] Krugman: "The question then is why."

[c b]

But the initial political context for this administration was
huge/unprecedented grass-roots support that elected a Obama despite
his race and inexperience. That support was based on certain promises
O made during the campaign. They included transparency,
accountability, support for states, jobs program, end to the wars,
single payer, etc. He did none of those things. He had the mandate to
create his own political context. He could have gotten on TV and
eloquently, passionately called for universal pressure on the
legislature to push forward with support for the working class. He did
none of this. He moved to the right as fast as he could.

Joanna

^^^^

CB: Stimulus was not an issue during the 2008 campaign. It cannot be
said that there was a huge grassroots support for a stimulus.
Furthermore,  the overwhelming majority of grassroots voters have no
idea of what a "stimulus" is.  A whole lot of them thought and think
(stupidly yeah, but stubbornly such that they aren't going to think
otherwise if Obama said it on television)that cutting the federal
deficit is important for "helping" the economy. The Republicans were
feverishly agitating this ignorance. it was a main plank in the Tea
Party platform.

Also, the Blue Dog Democrats, who were the reason the Democratic
Congressional majority was not identical with Obama's majority, could
easily say that they were elected on their own, and were not obligated
to support the stimulus or public option in health care, etc. Obama
could not pass a bigger stimulus without Congress. Period.  Speaking
as if Obama could have passed a larger stimulus is to ignore a
fundamental rule of the checks and balances system.