Your Abbreviated Pundit Round-up

Well, storing food and water isn't just for pandemics. We've got 7-9" so far, and more to come (until 5 pm), but that won't stop the pundits.

Paul Krugman:

One way to look at the international situation right now is that we’re suffering from a global paradox of thrift: around the world, desired saving exceeds the amount businesses are willing to invest. And the result is a global slump that leaves everyone worse off.

So that’s how we got into this mess. And we’re still looking for the way out.

Roger Cohen:

So a Jerusalem Post article says that I’m "hardly the first American to be misled by the existence of synagogues in totalitarian countries."

Sebastian Mallaby:

Barney Frank, the thoughtful chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, wants to create a new "systemic risk regulator." This general concept has been endorsed by some extremely distinguished economists. Nevertheless, the Frank proposal is dubious.

After all, the current system has worked so well.

Barack Obama:  

Because it represents real and dramatic change, it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington.

Joshua Tucker:

In a recent post, I suggested that Republicans might want to be careful about following a strategy in which attempts to influence policy (e.g., working with Obama to shape legislation) are abandoned as part of a political strategy that essentially bets the house on continued economic deterioration. Let me now follow this up with two other disturbing trends for the Republican party, which together present a valuable long-term opportunity for Democrats:

E.J. Dionne:

The central issue in American politics now is whether the country should reverse a three-decade-long trend of rising inequality in incomes and wealth.

Clive Crook: I know it's shocking, but conservatives aren't dancing in the streets over this budget. Why? Because EJ is right. (much more here).

Added:

Mark Halperin (Morning Joe): Obama speech? Polls? John McCain won the week, hands down.