These times they are a .... plain weird
Sunday, March 8, 2009 at 02:05PM We know we're living in some unusual times ... how unusual, you ask?
Well, over the past few weeks, Alan Greenspan (and other prominent conservative economists) have seemingly endorsed the idea that bank nationalization might be the only way to go (can you hear Ayn Rand spinning in her grave?), while liberal economist Alan Binder, writing for the New York Times of all places, argues -- rather convincingly -- against nationalization.
It's hard to make sense of it all ... so I won't bother trying. In fact, I'll do one better than not trying and switch topics altogether. 
The AP has a great piece about some of the insane loftier claims on the stimulus package -- most notably the proviso that it will "save or created 3.5 million jobs." What I noticed from the story is that fact that even Democratic stalwarts are questioning that claim:
"You created a situation where you cannot be wrong," the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Montana Democrat Max Baucus, told [ed: Little Timmy] Geithner last week.
"If the economy loses 2 million jobs over the next few years, you can say yes, but it would've lost 5.5 million jobs. If we create a million jobs, you can say, well, it would have lost 2.5 million jobs," Baucus said. "You've given yourself complete leverage where you cannot be wrong, because you can take any scenario and make yourself look correct."
Hmmm ... them there are figthin words. Granted, Baucus is a moderate voice from a conservative state, but he's an extremely important voice in the debate. Rest assured, Republicans are going to seize upon his words as the administration tries to spin the lack of job creation from the $800 billion porkfest stimulus plan.
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