Stephen Moore -- who Donald Trump tried to install on the Federal Reserve Board -- calls the people who insist on opening up the economy despite the health risks "the Rosa Parks" of their generation. Paul Krugman writes:
Moore — whom Trump tried but failed to install as a member of the Federal Reserve Board — isn’t just a bad economist with a history of misogynistic outbursts. More to the point, he’s a quack, with a long history of misrepresenting or inventing facts to support his ideological agenda.
Among his greatest hits was a number-filled screed about the relationship between tax cuts and jobs — framed, as it happens, as an attack on yours truly — in which not a single number was remotely close to the truth.
On second thought, however, Moore fits right in. One thing the coronavirus has thrown into sharp relief is the centrality of quackery — confident pronouncements on technical subjects by people who have no idea what they’re talking about — to the whole enterprise of modern conservatism.
While times such as these bring out the best in some people -- witness those of us who keep repeating the mantra "we're all in this together -- they also bring out the worst in others:
We know, for example, that Trump’s call for an early end to the economic lockdown was inspired in part by the writings of Richard Epstein, a conservative legal scholar who decided that he understands epidemiology better than the epidemiologists and confidently predicted that Covid-19 would kill no more than 500 people. (It’s currently killing four times that many every day.)
Or consider how Fox News responded to the unwillingness of Dr. Anthony Fauci to do what it wanted, and support an early reopening of the economy. To provide an alternative view, the network turned to … Dr. Phil, whose expertise, if he has one, is in pop psychology.
So how does Krugman explain the emergence of all these quacks?
One answer is that a political movement that demands absolute loyalty considers quacks more reliable than genuine experts, even if those experts currently support the movement’s policies.
As I’ve noted in the past, there are quite a few serious economists who also happen to be conservative, but they have been largely frozen out by the G.O.P. in favor of people like Moore. Why? Because serious economists might turn out to have principles, rejecting outlandish policy claims or changing their views in the face of evidence. And we can’t have that.
Another answer is that the modern right is driven in large part by the grievances of white men who don’t feel that they’re getting the respect they believe they deserve, and Fox-fueled hostility to “elites” who claim to know more than guys in diners — which, on technical subjects like epidemiology, they do — is a key part of the movement.
Finally, there has historically been a strong association between right-wing extremism and grifting, including snake-oil and get-rich-quick schemes. Alex Jones may attract an audience by peddling conspiracy theories, but he makes money by selling nutritional supplements, which he is now claiming offer protection against the coronavirus.
The old adage remains true: Follow the money.
Image: the quotes.in
6 comments:
All it takes is enough voters bereft of critical thinking skills willing to buy the snake oil.
And it's abundantly clear, Mound, that we have a plethora of those people these days.
Speaking of "follow the money," I wonder why the Libs chose Amazon to manage the distribution of medical supplies such as masks, face shields, gowns, ventilators and test-kits. Why add to the additional $24 billion that have gone to Jeff Bezos during the Covid-19 shutdowns, when we have a perfectly good Crown corporation that even Amazon relies on to get goods to people across the nation? Naturally, the Libs are refusing to disclose the contract with Amazon, which adds to the suspicion that there's a kickback in there somewhere. Follow the money, indeed.
Cap
.. the last paragraph has stuck in my craw, Owen ..
The mere mention of Alex Jones darkens my tiny part of the world.. my slim bit of skin turns brittle.. tightens about me.. Perhaps you saw a fleeting comment of mine about Trump.. how he leaves me reminded of a barn fire.. plunging horses, bawling cattle.. victims.. tragedy, desolation, horror.. the scorching flames reaching to the heavens.. later, the smoldering ruins..
I'm not speaking of his fan club.. and the rest of the cue card performers.. I'm thinking of the disheartening human consequence.. of reality.. the ludicrous pretension of 'land of the free - home of the brave' .. If the Trumpist horde asses are the cutting edge vanguard.. what of the troops in the rear ? What do they bring to the dance.. if anything ? More of Nothing ? WoW .. The March of the Lickspittles ..
What would happen Owen, if Alex Jones somehow visited Nova Scotia today.. to 'do his thing' .. the 'for his profit' - his TV and/or radio 'show' & his Network, his sponsors.. mebbe bring 100 of his most fervent throng ? You know.. do the 'man on the scene' reveal of the conspiracy.. the 'pretend dead.. drama actors' .. and 100 background 'props' with MAGA hats.. placards..
Would he .. or anyone of them get out of Nova Scotia alive ? Would anyone care how unlikely that would be ?
We have our own dark beasts here in Canada.. foppish loutlings.. tolerated to the most astonishing levels.. some loud, some proud, some even elected. some annointed or just journalistic pretenders screetching their 'for pay' fervour.. their wearying thoughts prayers and dogma truly reek.. .. but there's none who get the astonishing cult adoration bestowed on Trump, Jones, McConnell or reveal such zeal for blowaway fabrications posturing & performance.. its as if Ezra Levant at his most hysterical became PM of Canada.. Marilyn Gladu or Rob Anders..
You can be sure that some people will make a healthy profit from this crisis, Cap.
The Land to the South serves as a warning of what we could become, sal. Let us hope that we see clearly what is at stake.
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