Krugman is a Traditional Democrat

Lately Paul Krugman seems to be obsessed with criticizing Obama, and he did another hit piece today.

He is mad at Obama for saying that he agrees with Republicans that regulation does not need to be "top down command and control." Krugman says that that's not what Republicans said, and that Democrats came up with that etc. He says that what Obama said is worse than Hillary supporting the gas tax holiday because Obama is using Republican talking points.

Krugman doesn't know two shits about politics. He has the view of many traditional Democrats, which is that we have to sell the liberal view and liberal ideas in terms of being in opposition with Republicans. We have to talk about how the liberals are always right, the liberals did the most successful programs, and the liberals are morally superior. However, I think this kind of thinking blinds Democrats to their own faults. They are unable to think critically about why Republicans have been so successful in politics for the past 30 years.

While some of Krugman's specific points are correct, and of course Reagan's policies toward regulation were really bad, he's missing the big picture. The bigger picture is that Democrats do often frame regulation as being anti-business, and that American people are concerned about how regulation and programs will affect the economy. Democrats need to stop thinking about regulation as being in opposition to the big bad companies, and think of it as supporting businesses that are good for Americans.

And anyway, even though Reagan and Bush II are really bad, my policy professor says that Bush I did more for the environment than Clinton.

Furthermore, in terms of negotiations, it is a good idea to give ideological ground this way. In a sense, it is agreeing with the concerns that people have while pushing for solutions more aggressively. Yes, Democrats need to admit they are not anti-business, and they are pro smart regulation. Krugman has an outdated view of politics.