Friday punditry, the budget edition.
Paul Krugman :
There are three things you need to know about the current budget debate. First, it’s essentially fraudulent. Second, most people posing as deficit hawks are faking it. Third, while President Obama hasn’t fully avoided the fraudulence, he’s less bad than his opponents — and he deserves much more credit for fiscal responsibility than he’s getting.
Q-poll:
President Barack Obama's job rating among Pennsylvania voters is 51 - 44 percent, his highest standing in the Commonwealth since July 2009 when it was 56 - 33 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
But Pennsylvania voters tell the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University survey they oppose two of President Obama's key issues:
° Voters say 52 - 40 percent that the U.S. should not be involved in Afghanistan;
° Voters say 48 - 42 percent that Congress should repeal Obama's health care reform.
Danbury News Times on the new CT governor's recent speech :
State legal experts are cautiously optimistic about Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's proposals for decriminalization of marijuana in amounts of an ounce or less and requiring house arrest instead of prison for first-, second-, and third-time drunken-driving offenders.
Dan Balz in IA:
Ervin came to Palin's defense. "You're kicking that girl when she's down," she protested. Ervin went on to say that she would rather have Palin in the White House than Obama, but that she doubts Palin could win. "It makes me mad that she can't or won't be president because there's no way she's going to get elected," she said. "I know that and it's really sad."
That is the challenge ahead for Palin, if she becomes a candidate.
AP on Wisconson's missing Democrats:
In response to a question of where she was, Sen. Lena Taylor sent a tweet saying she was "doing the people's business. Power to the PEOPLE."
As Republicans tried to begin Senate business Thursday, observers in the gallery screamed "Freedom! Democracy! Unions!" Opponents cheered when a legislative leader announced there were not enough senators present to proceed.
NY Times on freshman budget cutters:
Further, many freshmen said, they believe that government agencies and those who advocate for their programs exaggerate the effect of cuts.
“I have a certain cynicism when I hear an agency tell me that food inspection is the first thing they are going to cut,” said Representative Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina.
Some more senior Republicans are not so sure. Representative Peter T. King of New York said he was deeply concerned about cuts to port security and mass transit.
“I was here in 1995,” Mr. King said, referring to the last big Republican revolution, “and I have seen the way these cuts are made.”
Maryn McKenna :
As tiny ticks proliferate across the country, they are spreading diseases you—and your doctor—probably haven't heard of. SELF investigates a growing threat to your health and the blood supply you depend on.
Maryn (aka
Scary Disease Girl ) is an excellent health reporter. Read
everything she writes.