In case you missed the GOP debate, Paul Krugman explains why he's "terrified."
Paul Krugman: Fantasies and Fictions at G.O.P. Debate
Courtesy of Mark Thoma, Economist's View
The Republican debate was "scary":
Fantasies and Fictions at G.O.P. Debate, by Paul Krugman, Commentary, NY Times:
I’ve been going over what was said at Wednesday’s Republican debate, and I’m terrified. You should be, too. After all, given the vagaries of elections, there’s a pretty good chance that one of these people will end up in the White House.
Why is that scary? …G.O.P. candidates are calling for policies that would be deeply destructive at home, abroad, or both. …
Let’s start at the shallow end, with the fantasy economics of the establishment candidates.
You’re probably tired of hearing this, but modern G.O.P. economic discourse is completely dominated by an economic doctrine — the sovereign importance of low taxes on the rich — that has failed completely and utterly in practice over the past generation. … Yet the hold of this failed dogma on Republican politics is stronger than ever…
If the discussion of economics was alarming, the discussion of foreign policy was practically demented. Almost all the candidates seem to believe that American military strength can shock-and-awe other countries into doing what we want without any need for negotiations, and that we shouldn’t even talk with foreign leaders we don’t like. …
The real revelation on Wednesday, however, was the … candidates … making outright false assertions, and probably doing so knowingly, which turns those false assertions into what are technically known as “lies.”
For example, Chris Christie asserted, as he did in the first G.O.P. debate, that he was named U.S. attorney the day before 9/11. It’s still not true …
Mr. Christie’s mendacity pales, however, in comparison to that of Carly Fiorina, who was widely hailed as the “winner” of the debate.
Some of Mrs. Fiorina’s fibs involved repeating thoroughly debunked claims about her business record. … But the truly awesome moment came when she asserted that the videos being used to attack Planned Parenthood show “a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking while someone says we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain.” No, they don’t. …
See also:
Stephen Colbert's The Late Show
And read:
Fact Checking Reveals G.O.P. Debate Was Four Per Cent Fact (Borowitz)
A thorough fact checking reveals that Wednesday night’s Republican Presidential debate was four per cent fact, fact checkers reported Thursday morning.
The GOP’s Make-Believe Foreign Policy World (Slate)
It’s a strange debate where Sen. Rand Paul comes off as the most sensible contender on the stage.
Carly Fiorina’s misleading claims about her business record (Washington Post)
Every politician tries to put a gloss on their record, but Fiorina’s claims about her business success are questionable in almost every respect.
