Tom Smith on Paul Krugman

Don't be shy, Tom, tell us what you really think:

I regard him as a national treasure of sorts.  Nobody I can think of does a better job of exposing the sneering yet half-baked, the condescending yet ill-informed, the pedantic yet misguided, the professorial yet creepily unnerving, and the self-aggrandizing and deeply unappealing face of contemporary American progressivism than does the good Doktor Professor.

Comments

[jch]

Krugman is advocating what many conservatives pushed for when the Dems threatened to filibuster Republican judicial nominees. The filibuster is not in the constitution, so let the majority rule.

[Brian]

Whatever the merits on the filibuster, I would be careful labeling a Nobel prize winning economist "half-baked" and "ill-informed."

That sets a pretty high bar to consider oneself well-versed.

[Mike Myers]

I'd say Smith was holding back somewhat.
And as for labeling a Nobel Prize winner half baked and ill informed, I'd offer Al Gore and Barack Obama as Exhibits 1 & 2. Don't know how that "global warming" and "small businesses would be okay if they could just get loans to make payroll" shtick is working out.

[jch]

That shtick doesn't work anymore than cutting taxes and running huge deficits as a way to run an economy. The Republicans are as bankrupt as the Dems when it comes to economic and budget issues.

[Dave]

Krugman usually just rants about politics. Why would a Nobel in a different discipline make him immune to criticism?

[Eric Rasmusen]

Krugman deserved his Nobel, unlike the others. Stiglitz, too. But being a good researcher doesn't mean you're a wise person.

I'm still looking for an article on what happened to Paul Krugman's brain. Maybe Bush's cool Texan pride drove my poor old teacher crazy.