So says Paul Krugman, of the New York Times (and if we must read any columnist from the NYT about economics, politics and the crossroads of power, please make it Paul Krugman (or Bob Herbert and some days but not always Frank Rich) and not Dowd, Brooks, Kristof or Kristol):
But I’d urge Congress to pause for a minute, take a deep breath, and try to seriously rework the structure of the plan, making it a plan that addresses the real problem. Don’t let yourself be railroaded — if this plan goes through in anything like its current form, we’ll all be very sorry in the not-too-distant future.
In my own little world, I think this is the first step toward universal health care and preschool for all and fully funded special education. If we can blithely add what is now considered One Point Five Trillion Dollars to the “debt ceiling” for the top One Percent of the Population, we can seriously add the rest for the rest of us.
And then what? Those liberal programs like Debt Forgiveness in Third World Countries? Alternative Energy Subsidies? CapiSocialism?
When you tear the fabric of the universe this severely, the rules change. Let’s hope the Gang of 535 does it sort-of-right for a change.
In the meantime, I’m gonna go play Wii…
