No. I’m saying that, as they seem committed to not voting for the stimulus no matter what the consequences, the Republicans make themselves an obstacle to be run over. If they were willing to compromise, there’s reason for the Democrats to make concessions and work to a broader consensus than they have now. But if congressional Republicans won’t vote for the stimulus no matter what, why shouldn’t the Democrats include whatever programs they find worthwhile?

Huh?

More generally, I’m always puzzled why people like Yglesias and DeBoer are so filled with weepy empathy for foreigners who hate us, and so filled with venomous hatred for their fellow citizens.

You write, “I was under the impression that Yglesias’s failure to mention deficit spending was precisely the problem.” Perhaps so, but as you will see if you review my comment I conjectured that Matt may well defend deficit spending, but that was not the case with the post Ross linked.

After I said that I googled “Yglesias deficits.” The result, almost 40,000 hits. The first two selections confirmed my suspicion, Matt does see a case for deficit spending. The posts are 1) “Sucker’s Bet” posted 9/24/08 and 2) “Deficits Only Matter When They Matter” posted 12/1/08. I recommend them for an insight to his thinking not only on deficits but also taxes. I his September post Matt writes, “…the case seems clear for wildly higher tax rates on high-income individuals than prevailed during the Clinton years. Are we afraid of stifling the kind of fat cat activity that’s brought us to our current situation?” Way to go, Matt!

Now I have no problem with Ross using Yglesias as a foil. But I do have a problem with Ross misleading, my view, readers into thinking Matt was talking about deficits in that particular post. Or even your view, that the criticism offered by Ross goes to the fact that Matt did NOT mention deficits. The plain fact is deficits were not on the table. And in general I have a problem with any criticism that focuses on what was not done, said, written. And I think in the short form comments both Ross and Matt tend to use it is really unfair to criticize comments on what was not written.

On the matter of deficits. I think it is pretty clear that everyone, yes everyone, will find cases where deficit spending is necessary, from the most principled conservative to the most profligate liberal. So in that broad sense deficits are not the issue. It’s just a question of which ox is being gored.

On the question, are the democrats and President Obama making a political mistake by backing a broad stimulus plan? Are they being short-sighted?

I have no idea. Especially since the plan remains in flux. Maybe Obama will return to the Larry Summers view of a more targeted stimulus, give republican senators something they can vote for. I will, however, go out on the limb and say if economic conditions in the summer of 2010 are not much improved republicans will have a lot of ammunition

But I hope I have made my by bitch with Ross a bit more clear.