The Horror We Unleashed

I remain to this day surprised by the lack of repentance on the part of those who led us into this lovely little war. I don't just mean Bush administration officials and fellow travelers who probably truly believe the whole thing was really awesome, but the mainstream media figures who embedded themselves in the propaganda machine to make this war happen. The self-declared guardians of our discourse failed, and most of them still have jobs.

They Could Add New Members

My memory (correct me if I'm wrong) is that the Blue Dogs are a slightly exclusive club that doesn't let in just anybody. So if they lose a bunch of members they might find some additional willing applicants.

Joining the Blue Dogs opens the fundraising spigots and makes your life a bit easier, as you signal which masters you are serving.

Job Losses

One sad thing about losing a bunch of seats is that a lot of Dem staffers lose their jobs too.

Wee Bit Skeptical

Evan Bayh hates fundraising so much he raised $10 million for a race he isn't running.

Giant Bags Of Money

I do worry that Stiglitz is correct and that any likely monetary stimulus isn't going to do very much. What we need is to print money and have the government spend it, but I don't think that's going to happen.

More Stimulus Needed

It occurs to me that Broderella isn't thinking big enough. Two wars haven't helped the economy, so I'm not sure why just three would help. I'm thinking five massive wars. Maybe New Zealand could be a target. We could rid the world of the hobbit menace once and for all. Oh, and a draft of the kids of people who work for Kaplan Test Prep and its subsidiaries might be necessary.

Morning Thread: Nobel Edition

by Molly Ivors

Here, have a couple of Nobel Prize winners to start your day. Krugman (Economics, 2008) quotes Yeats (Literature, 1923):

if you point out that their arguments don’t add up, they fly into a rage. Try to explain that when debtors spend less, the economy will be depressed unless somebody else spends more, and they call you a socialist. Try to explain why mortgage relief is better for America than foreclosing on homes that must be sold at a huge loss, and they start ranting like Mr. Santelli. No question about it: the moralizers are filled with a passionate intensity.

And those who should know better lack all conviction.