Comments for The Left and Right Can Agree That NPR Completely Misled Listeners About the Supercommittee and the Deficit at http://www.cepr.net , comment 1 to 7 out of 7 comments http://www.cepr.net Fri, 24 May 2013 14:37:48 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-left-and-right-can-agree-that-npr-completely-misled-listeners-about-the-supercommittee-and-the-deficit#comment-13097 Dean- I have noticed that over time your projection for the percentage of Social Security benefits to be paid after 2038 has gradually risen--from something like 75% to the current 81%. What accounts for this fluctuation? And is this improved outlook likely to continue? -Anthony - Anthony Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:02:53 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-left-and-right-can-agree-that-npr-completely-misled-listeners-about-the-supercommittee-and-the-deficit#comment-13095 Why is NPR promoting austerity? Well, let's see, who contributes oodles of $$$ to NPR and has their companies (I mean Foundation) mentioned between news reports? Would you not say these "corporate" donors, and "private" foundations might not be entirely happy with NPR promoting higher taxes? Isn't an NPR donation a great way to avoid paying taxes? - hil2 Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:38:36 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-left-and-right-can-agree-that-npr-completely-misled-listeners-about-the-supercommittee-and-the-deficit#comment-13094 Isn't it obvious? "The House on Thursday [March 17, 2011] voted to strip National Public Radio's federal funding . . . ." And which party controls the House? And which party champions austerity? Let's not be naive, folks. - Ellen1910 Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:23:49 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-left-and-right-can-agree-that-npr-completely-misled-listeners-about-the-supercommittee-and-the-deficit#comment-13082 I see austerity politics as destabilizing and unpopular. So the question to my mind is why for example NPR is promoting austerity. I'm not interested to apply how the U.S. stabilized it's economy during the thirties. I'm interested to know why a stable system is being broken down by right wing ideology now. I see applying Keynesian economics to salvage the status quo as a futile project. I can see that in the thirties FDR created a long lasting stabilization in the U.S. which appears to me to be now breaking down. Defending workers is my goal. I'd say then that austerity is being used to drive the global system toward a new arrangement. The breakdown in U.S. power which is what world wide austerity reflects is not going to be salvaged by Keynesian economics if we fail to grasp what the break down is about. Unless and until the left acknowledges the status quo is broken and advocates a new stabilization in contemporary conditions we will fail in the face of austerity. In other words U.S. hegemonic arrangements will decline and is irreversible but the outcome can be shaped by a clarity about where the new stabilization leads to. If the hegemonic power is losing it's grip what happens? The U.S. advantage of a continental sized power based on the English language unity fails in the face of supra national power entities. Hence hegemonic power is about continental sized forces making arrangements in the face of U.S. decline. National solutions cannot work in the face of continental power arrangements. In that context austerity goes along toward breaking down the old hegemonic balances. Austerity though forces changes at the cost of political instability. From Europe's point of view they are forging a continental European power out of the collapse of U.S. hegemony. From the U.S. point of view continental power has failed. Hence politically austerity is no answer for the U.S. because it fails to arrest hegemonic collapse. The solution for the U.S. and for the U.S. left is to see the status quo as indefensible as preserving hegemonic arrangements. And to challenge austerity as a path to follow for the U.S. future. Keynesian economics might work in a new arrangement if we know what that might be. A clear supra nationalistic solution as seems to be emerging in German influence in Europe would emerge in the U.S. from wholly different interests. In particular austerity politics here points at nothing but salvaging the status quo via right wing nostalgia for past glories. We have the means still to offer a counter to European hegemonic intentions. or to China's hegemonic intentions if we recognize the problem as it is now and offer stabilization processes that rests upon the contemporary world forces. The U.S. can't break down via austerity to a solution for hegemonic loss of power. The U.S. must offer stabilization as a real possibility via a view of global systems rather than continental power. In that context austerity represents failure for the U.S. Stabilization represents success. - Doyle Saylor Wed, 23 Nov 2011 05:22:25 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-left-and-right-can-agree-that-npr-completely-misled-listeners-about-the-supercommittee-and-the-deficit#comment-13078 Nothing is either good or bad, tis thinking that makes itzzo - Shakespear - Union Member Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:18:01 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-left-and-right-can-agree-that-npr-completely-misled-listeners-about-the-supercommittee-and-the-deficit#comment-13076 Why is that concept so difficult to understand? Keynes proved it 75 years ago, so there has been plenty of time to learn it. Of course it is counter-intuitive, but so are many other problems we face, such as a skidding car - most drivers know to steer in the direction of the skid. Are Americans simply the most ignorant people on Earth? Is our education system that bad? - Paul Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:16:17 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-left-and-right-can-agree-that-npr-completely-misled-listeners-about-the-supercommittee-and-the-deficit#comment-13075 [quote]Those who are unhappy about current deficits want higher unemployment. That is the reality, whether they know it or not.[/quote] Epictetus the Stoic Philosopher has said: [quote]Where is the good? In the will. Where is the evil? In the will. Where is neither of them? In those things that are independent of the will. Man is disturbed not by things, but by the views he takes of them.[/quote] NPR wants unemployment like a self-loathing sadist projects suffering onto others to avoid the sting of deserved guilt for tortured logic. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of deficits I will fear no evil for the unemployed shall protect me as they bear my guilt. Stupid liberals. - izzatzo Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:56:00 +0100