Paul Krugman says a

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Paul Krugman says “a program is defined as welfare, it becomes a target for budget cuts.” In other words, redefining Social Security as a welfare program for very poor old people rather than universal social insurance will lead to its demise. His example of choice is the same as mine: “Last week Congress agreed on a budget that cuts funds for Medicaid (and food stamps), even while extending tax cuts on dividends and capital gains.”

Andrew Sullivan says that “The patent weakness of Paul Krugman’s spluttering opposition today is evidence enough of the merit of the president’s plan.”

And when congress voted to cut Medicaid and food stamps Andrew said . . . well . . . well he didn’t say anything about it, did he? And that’s the point. I don’t know if he thinks cutting Medicaid and food stamps while piling on tax cuts for the rich is a good idea or not. More likely, he’s just a bit indifferent to it. Which is just the way these things go. Once a program becomes the narrow concern of a minority of the population — and not just any minority, but a minority that can’t afford lobbysists, doesn’t enjoy access to the media, is socially isolated from the American elite, etc. — it gets squeezed out in favor of programs whose constituents do enjoy those things. There’s no flailing here.

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