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Saturday, October 31st, 2015

Springtime for Grifters

Author:     Paul Krugman
Source:     The New York Times
Publication Date:     OCT. 30, 2015
 Link: Springtime for Grifters
Stephan:   I believe that one of the consequences of Citizens United making unlimited special interest money available  is that the uber rich only support candidates who espouse what they want, and that position is a profit first model that is  anti-life and non-compassionate. That in turn has brought forward in the Republican Party, which is the principal beneficiary, a group of politicians who first and foremost cater to those interests but who are in other regard mediocre and ethical challenged. My main take away from the third Republican debate was the astonishing amount of bald-faced lying one heard, and how ignorant and ill-equipped for leadership the candidates were. This is what we have come to, as Paul Krugman makes painfully clear.
Paul Krugman Nobel Laureate Economist and Op-Ed Columnist Credit: Twitter.com

Paul Krugman
Nobel Laureate Economist and Op-Ed Columnist
Credit: Twitter.com

At one point during Wednesday’s Republican debate, Ben Carson was asked about his involvement with Mannatech, a nutritional supplements company that makes outlandish claims about its products and has been forced to pay $7 million to settle a deceptive-practices lawsuit. The audience booed, and Mr. Carson denied being involved with the company. Both reactions tell you a lot about the driving forces behind modern American politics.

As it happens, Mr. Carson lied. He has indeed been deeply involved with Mannatech, and has done a lot to help promote its merchandise. PolitiFact quickly rated his claim false, without qualification. But the Republican base doesn’t want to hear about it, and the candidate apparently believes, probably correctly, that he can simply brazen it out. These days, in his party, being an obvious grifter isn’t a liability, and may even be an asset.

And this doesn’t just go for outsider candidates like […]

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