Here’s Paul Krugman catching a politician, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, playing politician:
Mr. Jindal posed the problem in a way that would, I believe, have been unthinkable for a leading Republican even a year ago. “We must not,” he declared, “be the party that simply protects the well off so they can keep their toys. We have to be the party that shows all Americans how they can thrive.”
But Mr. Jindal didn’t offer any suggestions about how Republicans might demonstrate that they aren’t just about letting the rich keep their toys, other than claiming even more loudly that their policies are good for everyone.
Of course Krugman we get. But Jindal? Hmm… “protecting the well off so they can keep their toys.” I guess we could consider allowing folks to keep what they earn a government spending program in and of itself. Meaning, the more the rich have toys, the bigger the federal deficit. If the government wasn’t “letting the rich keep their toys” we wouldn’t be in this budget mess, right? That sort of language (‘letting keep’) should make everyone at every income rung very nervous.
The “problem” Krugman refers to is the perception that the Republican Party is out of touch with the non-well off. And apparently Jindal agrees. Trust me, whether we’re talking Republicans or Democrats, it’s all about the party…