Reminder that Sanders wanted Paul Krugman in his Cabinet.

oh god

This is completely off-topic now, but I'll forever remember Krugman as the 'trillion dollar coin' guy. I mean, I'm not even an economics guy, but that was the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard a columnist say seriously.

I remember being a kid and asking my mom about the economy. 'Why are there school budget cuts?' I asked. 'The government doesn't have enough money to pay for everything, and it owes other countries a lot of money' she replied. I wondered how they would get that money, so naturally, I asked 'Where does money come from?'

'The Federal Reserve.'

'Who owns the Fed, vile woman?' (This was in the parking lot of church on the way to religious formation.)

'The government.'

'Well, why doesn't the government just print more money for itself?'

That question stumped her because she's not an economist. But as I understand, it's a complicated, esoteric reason known only by those who can comprehend it.

But the fact that Krugman apparently gets his economics from a fucking ten-year-old just had me laughing my ass off, and a bit baffled that someone could be so utterly serious presenting such a ridiculous idea, and shocked that the 24/7 news cycle would actually discuss it as if it had any merit whatsoever.

Fuck.

Quote from: Kupo on September 14, 2015, 09:59:36 PM

but I'll forever remember Krugman as the 'trillion dollar coin' guy.

It actually wasn't a terrible idea.

Wait, it wasn't? I did all that for nothing? ;_;

Quote from: Kupo on September 14, 2015, 10:25:49 PM

Quote from: Executioner Sigma on September 14, 2015, 10:08:51 PM

Quote from: Kupo on September 14, 2015, 09:59:36 PM

but I'll forever remember Krugman as the 'trillion dollar coin' guy.

It actually wasn't a terrible idea.

Wait, it wasn't? I did all that for nothing? ;_;

Read this.

I'm not a proponent of it; it'd probably do more harm than good in the long-run. It's just that more than anything it was a way of bypassing an uncooperative Congress rather than being a fix-all for national debt issues, so it's probably not stupid for the reasons you imagine.

Yeah, bypassing Congress was the only justification I could think of. Thanks for the read >.>