The Informationist

The Informationist:

Life during the transition from industrial age to information age.

Bruce Abramson

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Yglesias v. Friedman

Tom Friedman apparently noticed the Democrats’ lack of ideas. Matt Yglesias took offense. I threw my hat into the ring:

Friedman may have been a bit glib, but that’s only because he failed to clarify which Democrats were out of ideas. This morning’s Washington Post editorial ("Where are the Democrats?") was clearer:

“Responsible proposals from Democratic economists that would blend benefit cuts and tax increases have gotten nowhere with Democratic lawmakers.”

Democrats have plenty of ideas. I’m less convinced that Democratic lawmakers or Democratic Party leaders do. As far as I can tell, when Clinton left town, our idea people and our politics people forgot how to talk to each other. They now occupy different worlds and agree to meet every four years at a convention--where the former draft platforms and the latter make noise to “rally the faithful.”

But Matt still takes offense when anyone implies that the Democrats lack ideas.

Posted by Bruce Abramson from on 06/21 at 11:51 PM in American Government, Politics, and Domestic Policies