For some unknown reason, the NYT prints on its front page a confusing column by Floyd Norris, who seems surprised, shocked that interest rates are at record low levels when everyone the Times normally cites/quotes predicted just the opposite.

The Senate once again came up short trying to overcome a Republican filibuster of a jobs and state budget relief bill. And once again this insane obstruction was aided and abetted by Ben (Bad) Nelson, Joe Lieberman and Maine’s Senators Snowe and Collins, who continue to be misidentified as “moderates.”

According to Paul Krugman appears to argue that stiff penalties for non-compliance with the Individual Mandate ought to produce a more successful outcome for this attempt at healthcare reform.

It is reassuring to learn that the President is both listening to serious policy advisers while taking advantage of experienced, successful political advisers to get those policies enacted. So they must be succeeding, right?

Paul Krugman drones on for us to support the Senate Bill.

Conscience of a Liberal? Say it ain’t so, Paul!

Paul Krugman bemoans the Chinese peg to the dollar as mercantilism and reflects on the wonders of a strong Chinese currency for the American economy. He’s crazy. The Chinese peg is the only thing keeping our first-world standard of living afloat.

Since early in the presidential campaign, Krugman has been critical of Obama on health care. But, he advocates settling for half a loaf on health care and digging in against the corporatists on regulation of financial services.

in response to Paul Krugman’s Dec. 18 NYT piece, I set straight what the progressive split over healthcare is all about: differing beliefs on the nature of both President Obama and the present form of our government

Krugman: “Basically, [Obamacare is] a plan to Swissify America, using regulation and subsidies to ensure universal coverage.”