Monday, March 30, 2009

"Your country needs you now"

I don't know about you, but Paul Krugman has become the voice I trust most when it comes to navigating the economic morass we find ourselves in. An unyielding critic of George W. Bush's policies -- fiscal and otherwise -- Krugman has of late been skeptical of parts of the Obama Administration's economic policies. This week he's on the cover of Newsweek.

A Nobel Prize-winning economist, academic at Princeton and New York Times columnist, Krugman thinks that the stimulus package was too small and that nationalizing the large, faltering banks is the only way out. About the banking plan proposed by Treasury chief Tim Geithner, Krugman wrote, "...it fills me with a sense of despair."

Krugman can frequently be found opining on television. I see him on the NewsHour or as part of the roundtable on Sunday morning's This Week. I get a kick out of how uncomfortable he looks on camera. His Times' column runs Monday and Friday, and I also check his blog every day for his latest comments and explanations.

And now Krugman has really been cast into popular culture by a video bouncing around on YouTube. A guy named Jonathan Mann wrote and recorded a song call "Hey Paul Krugman (A song, A plea), " which is hilarious -- and more than a little true. The tune is a bit catchy, and the best part of the lyrics is when Mann sings:
For Godsakes man you won the Nobel Prize
Timothy Geitner uses Turbo Tax
Ouch.

1 comment:

N.starluna said...

In all fairness, Krugman has been critical of Obama's approach to the economy since the primary season. I like Krugman and I generally agree with his analyses. However, Krugman doesn't always show an understanding that economic policy is not an academic exercise. There political considerations as well. That's the nature of government.