Pre-stimulus, bipartisan terrors strike the blogosphere

Paul Krugman's column is getting a lot of comment in the lefty blogosphere this morning, largely from folks who agree with Krugman that Obama may be declaring stimulus surrender before the real fight over the plan starts. Like other bloggers, I worry that Obama is emphasizing bipartisanism to the point of self destruction. (Translation: Placating Republicans matters more than finding real solutions.)

On the other hand, I still want to see how this all plays out and what the Obamites actually do. On the other other hand, I applaud my fellow bloggers for bellowing about their concern. If we don't speak up early and often, we won't be able to affect the outcome.

And so life in the Age of Obama begins, 15 days before inauguration.*

Here are some of the more interesting posts I've seen.

Kevin Drum:

Obama's team is so focused on getting a big bipartisan majority for their stimulus legislation that they're negotiating their goals down even before they actually start negotiating

Josh Marshall:

Obama seems to be telegraphing that to a significant degree the fundamental structure of the legislation is being built around accommodating the concerns of Republicans -- members of a political party that are about as unpopular and weak as you can get at the moment

John Aravois:

But don't worry, if we just appease the Republicans this once, they'll stop being mean to us.

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*Obviously, the transition to our new prez has been barreling down the tracks for weeks now. With the holidays behind us, though, we've finally gotten beyond questions of who's going to do what in the new administration and into substance. That's why I'm marking today, Jan. 5, as the real start of the Age of Obama. (Remember, you heard it here first.)

Monday Morning Downer: Paul Krugman uses the "D" word

OH, this is cheerful. Paul Krugman writes this morning:

The fact is that recent economic numbers have been terrifying, not just in the United States but around the world. Manufacturing, in particular, is plunging everywhere. Banks aren’t lending; businesses and consumers aren’t spending. Let’s not mince words: This looks an awful lot like the beginning of a second Great Depression.

The good news, and I think there is some, is that Krugman appears to be attempting to scare the bejesus out of us to head off his nightmare -- that Congress and Barack Obama won't act boldly enough to stop Depression 2.0. If that's Krugman's plan, he certainly has succeeded with me. I hereby declare myself to be officially scared to death.