This. if we want to go back to situations other than those we found ourselves in, we can stipulate that Biden would not seek renomination and an open primary process might have given us a candidate who could have won. Maybe it would have been Harris with more time to get herself out in front of the voters, but maybe not. Then you can name any pale-skinned penis owner you think might have done better, and you might be right. Not that there would be any way to tell, but it would be a sensible alternative history to pursue. That's a very different question, though, from how well Harris played the hand actually dealt.
A charming faith in the power of speechifying. Aristotle had a few things to say about what it takes to put a point across, and it takes a lot more than that.
I've actually looked at the studies, two of which were the San Francisco Fed studies cited in the WSJ article, and they all converge on similar numbers. (Smith himself doesn't venture a number.) Or do you read them differently?
No. But one beats zero. Unless there's something wrong with the one.
So how much do you think pandemic fiscal policy added to existing inflationary pressures?
There have been several attempts to quantify just how much pandemic-related fiscal policy contributed to the inflation that was already happening. The Wall Street Journal has what looks like a fair assessment:
Fiscal stimulus, approved by both Trump and Biden, accounted for about 3 percentage points of the rise in inflation through 2021, according to the San Francisco Fed. A separate analysis by the bank’s economists estimated the ARP boosted inflation, excluding food and energy items, by 0.3 percentage point a year in 2021 and 2022.
North brought it up, not me. As it happens, I agree with him that a number of folks thought there would be anti-Trump disorder if Trump won. Unlike him, I am completely unsurprised that none of the people who said they thought that would happen will acknowledge "I was wrong about that." They won't even try to Jaybird move of blaming the people they made wrong predictions about for their making wrong predictions about them.
Every developed country in the world experienced inflation and every incumbent party took it in the shorts, whether they were to blame, or whether inflation had been tamed by the time of the election. While there may have been reasons to think we might buck the trend, and it was much closer here than elsewhere, memory ultimately won out over present reality.
I'm sorry. I was unclear. You're quite right on factual and moral grounds that they should cop to it. But what basis was there for expecting them to cop to it?
There are two types of "populist." One type of populist seeks government help for the down and out. Another is more interested in working out resentments against folks not like themselves. Pick your poison and you have your answer.
all the righties saying Trumps election would lead to riots or equivalent misbehavior by the Dems or the Left are now proven entirely and completely wrong and they should be expected to cop to that.
On “The Mandate That Wasn’t”
This. if we want to go back to situations other than those we found ourselves in, we can stipulate that Biden would not seek renomination and an open primary process might have given us a candidate who could have won. Maybe it would have been Harris with more time to get herself out in front of the voters, but maybe not. Then you can name any pale-skinned penis owner you think might have done better, and you might be right. Not that there would be any way to tell, but it would be a sensible alternative history to pursue. That's a very different question, though, from how well Harris played the hand actually dealt.
On “All the President’s Nominees: The Legion of Groom”
https://criticalread.substack.com/p/searching-for-the-right-words-to?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email-restack-comment&r=4rsnl&triedRedirect=true
On “Paper: Inflation and the 2024 US Presidential Election”
A charming faith in the power of speechifying. Aristotle had a few things to say about what it takes to put a point across, and it takes a lot more than that.
"
I've actually looked at the studies, two of which were the San Francisco Fed studies cited in the WSJ article, and they all converge on similar numbers. (Smith himself doesn't venture a number.) Or do you read them differently?
"
No. But one beats zero. Unless there's something wrong with the one.
So how much do you think pandemic fiscal policy added to existing inflationary pressures?
On “How Republicans Can Save Trump’s Presidency”
If you're suggesting that anyone who thought that was a loon, I agree with you.
On “Paper: Inflation and the 2024 US Presidential Election”
Was the conclusion incorrect? Were the numbers reported incorrect? Do you have different numbers?
On “How Republicans Can Save Trump’s Presidency”
Yes. So is there someone you have in mind who both: (a) predicted disorder and (b) said "I was wrong?" Derek S. matches (2), but not (1).
"
"Non-zero" isn't much of a standard, especially since we already have Derek S.
And we already know that it is always someone else's fault if you're wrong.
On “Paper: Inflation and the 2024 US Presidential Election”
There have been several attempts to quantify just how much pandemic-related fiscal policy contributed to the inflation that was already happening. The Wall Street Journal has what looks like a fair assessment:
Fiscal stimulus, approved by both Trump and Biden, accounted for about 3 percentage points of the rise in inflation through 2021, according to the San Francisco Fed. A separate analysis by the bank’s economists estimated the ARP boosted inflation, excluding food and energy items, by 0.3 percentage point a year in 2021 and 2022.
On “How Republicans Can Save Trump’s Presidency”
North brought it up, not me. As it happens, I agree with him that a number of folks thought there would be anti-Trump disorder if Trump won. Unlike him, I am completely unsurprised that none of the people who said they thought that would happen will acknowledge "I was wrong about that." They won't even try to Jaybird move of blaming the people they made wrong predictions about for their making wrong predictions about them.
"
They who? And what does that have to do with those who predicted anti-Trump disorder not copping to what actually happened -- or didn't happen?
On “Paper: Inflation and the 2024 US Presidential Election”
Every developed country in the world experienced inflation and every incumbent party took it in the shorts, whether they were to blame, or whether inflation had been tamed by the time of the election. While there may have been reasons to think we might buck the trend, and it was much closer here than elsewhere, memory ultimately won out over present reality.
On “How Republicans Can Save Trump’s Presidency”
I'm sorry. I was unclear. You're quite right on factual and moral grounds that they should cop to it. But what basis was there for expecting them to cop to it?
On “Open Mic for the week of 11/18/2024”
There are two types of "populist." One type of populist seeks government help for the down and out. Another is more interested in working out resentments against folks not like themselves. Pick your poison and you have your answer.
On “How Republicans Can Save Trump’s Presidency”
I'm sorry, I thought I was dealing with an adult.
"
all the righties saying Trumps election would lead to riots or equivalent misbehavior by the Dems or the Left are now proven entirely and completely wrong and they should be expected to cop to that.
Expected by whom, and on what basis?
"
Well, yes. That's why I said "Normal Presidents."
"
Normal Presidents don't seem to have much trouble finding people generally regarded as qualified.
"
Romney and McCain didn't need to run on I'm Not That Guy, because it was obvious on visual inspection.
On “Open Mic for the week of 11/11/2024”
I saw him at another blog a few hours ago. He seemed fine. Should I let him know you're concerned?
On “The Four Stages of Post-election Cruelty”
You don't get it. Jaybird, and only Jaybird, gets to be a moral scold here.
On “An Election Map that Asks “What if Only Educated People Voted?” and a Follow-up Question”
Explains a lot.
"
I've long said that some folks here don't really have politics at all, only aesthetics.
"
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*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.