183 Comments
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Brian Granger's avatar

Mr. Krugman, you are a couple of minutes from our house. What a surprise, you're on the bridge there, on your way to the church, or the Harlemmerstraat economic/commercial area. Hope you enjoy the time in Leiden.

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Jim Sontag's avatar

I wondered exactly where that was. You know that sense of deja-vu? I knew Mr Krugman was in the Netherlands but not where in the NL. So bravo for geo-locating the pic.

I live in the Hague, and Leiden is one of my favorites for visitors to the NL.

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Michiel Horn's avatar

But Den Haag is also nice. I visited the Mauritshuis last week.

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Meighan Corbett's avatar

The Mauritshuis is a hidden gem.

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Brian Granger's avatar

Yes, it's one of the last manually operated drawbridges in the city. (See: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerkbrug_(Leiden).) The Hague also has its charm, small gems, unexpected moments.

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Comment removed
Sep 26
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BTAM Master's avatar

unrelated SPAM bot. Reported

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Bob D's avatar

Enjoy, there will be more nonsense to address on Monday, Tue, Wed ....... 2028. Have fun with the family..

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John ISOM's avatar

For something like a quarter century you were posting twice a week at the NYT, plus all of your other faculty and policy-expert duties and obligations. Busy life, and then some.

If, going forward, you were to post here even three times a week, then that would be fine with me. That is, I want your passion, purpose, insights, expertise, guidance for our country – without it crushing you or guilting you.

Just be your best – when you can, as you can – all the while enjoying life and living. If nothing more your cat deserves as much.

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LHS's avatar

Yes. I'm actually glad he has taken some time off in the past week and I hope he builds more "me" time into his schedule. Writing, analyzing and posting about so much going on must be exhausting.

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Skybo's avatar

Yes, and I got to lol this am, as even in Prof K’s break, I learned about yesterday’s vanities tariff, which I’d missed in all the reporting about Comey.

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Les Peters's avatar

The White House also announced 100% tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals yesterday. That’s less funny, and it will hurt more people immediately. The Talking Heads “Burning Down the House” is the constant coda for this regime.

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DJ's avatar
Sep 26Edited

"Fire" by The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown also comes to mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en1uwIzI3SE

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Rainer Dynszis's avatar

Of course Mr Trump is right. A 50% import tax on bathroom vanities protects national security better than almost anything else. Its national security protection effect is only eclipsed by persecuting the former FBI director who gifted Mr Trump his first presidency. God knows Comey did it only to make himself look better, and not because he was a true believer in Trumpism. So, why not doing both, the tax thing and the Comey thing.

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Jenn Borgesen's avatar

I'm more concerned about the Hegseth thing ... bringing military leaders to Quantico as we approach a government shut down in the coming week.

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Teresa D. Hawkes, Ph.D.'s avatar

The incompetence and lack of interest in amount of taxpayer money to achieve a project seems really funny to me in this case, and really all of Mr. Trump's many EO directions in these first eight months. Mr. Hegs-whatever his name, can summon all the high ranking military officers he likes and pay for it. Since Trump voters want to follow the money trail, let them follow Mr. Heg's trail as he spends his way forward. Go ahead and tally up all the expenses Mr. Trump and crew have been adding to the taxpayers out there--and remember, those with the most in the USA pay the least taxes--usually none. Can you say 'I can sure afford lawyers--whole firms of them'.

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Winston Smith London Oceania's avatar

" Since Trump voters want to follow the money trail..."

You're assuming they know how to count.

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Heather Lemur's avatar

Except they only follow trails that have been created and pointed out for them.

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Meighan Corbett's avatar

He's going to pay them in hair products.

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Winston Smith London Oceania's avatar

He didn't invite Jeffrey Goldberg?

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Teresa D. Hawkes, Ph.D.'s avatar

I don't like this statement but I have to agree with it. Mr. Comey put Trump in the White House and cast doubt on HIllary Clinton at just the right moment to do so.

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Teresa D. Hawkes, Ph.D.'s avatar

The Irony of Comey being caught by Trump when Comey put Trump in the White House both times, one by killing the opposer, and run 3 by his having 4 years to prepare for this POTUS run, where Comey's opposition to Trump actually helped the man win Potus2. Trump is killing his goose.

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BTAM Master's avatar

No one is above being tossed under the bus. Eventually project 2025 will toss Trump under the bus.

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Winston Smith London Oceania's avatar

Nah. After he croaks they'll martyr him in effigy. They can't operate without a cult leader, and once The Orange MAGA Deity flatlines, they won't have anyone who can rally the dopes the way he could.

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BTAM Master's avatar

Project 2025's folks must have long term plans for Trump's death and/or losing control due to dementia. They may have no souls, but they're not stupid.

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Winston Smith London Oceania's avatar

We have long term plans for them - life in prison without parole.

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Teresa D. Hawkes, Ph.D.'s avatar

I sure hope you are correct!

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Meighan Corbett's avatar

Everyone trump engages with will eventually be tossed under the bus.

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Schmiegelow Michele's avatar

🤣🤣🤣 Of course national sécurité Is better served by taxing bathrooms vanities, especially when we know that those made in the USA are better than those made in Italy !!! (I still have those bought at Woodies in DC in the 1980s)

When will this utter nonsense stop ? 😒

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Winston Smith London Oceania's avatar

The worst of it will end once the Epstein Files are released.

Not that he doesn't want to distract us from his other crimes, but that's the one that can take him down quick.

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Heather Lemur's avatar

For real, though, who remembers their Wayfair child trafficking conspiracy theory? They were making concern troll noises about children being hidden in vanities or cabinets and bought and shipped via the online furniture store, Wayfair.

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Meighan Corbett's avatar

somehow, I missed that one. OMG will their idiocy never end...

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Heather Lemur's avatar

It was back during trump’s first term, and there’s so much nonsense, it’s easy to lose track.

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Jeff Ahrens's avatar

I agree. For far too long we've left our tableware terribly exposed to hostile actors by relying on foreign cabinetry technology.

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Dennis Goos's avatar

Hoist by his own petard

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J Lee Ratcliffe's avatar

I don't know which bothers me more, putting off my much needed bathroom reno again or his continued use of capital letters and quotation marks that deeply offend my English teacher sensibilities.

Enjoy the day, PK. I'm sure there will be plenty of new nonsense to address tomorrow. (Tired sigh.)

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William Whitman's avatar

Well so much for my next affordable housing project for seniors - out the fucking window now - asshole. What a fucking asshole. Zero rational thought behind any of these “policies “. They’re all just vanity projects. Asshole!

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chris lemon's avatar

Don't sugarcoat the situation, tell us what you really think.

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Nobody from nowhere's avatar

I liked the 'vanity projects' pun.

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Georgia's avatar

Let’s run up the cost of housing!

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Leigh Horne's avatar

May the day come when having crappy cabinets is seen as act of valor. and resistance. Ditto shredded armchairs (which we, ahead of the curve, already have thanks to our patriotic cat).

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Jennie H.'s avatar

My cat too is very patriotic.

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Meighan Corbett's avatar

Still operating with bathrooms last renovated in the 90s here ...

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Teresa D. Hawkes, Ph.D.'s avatar

Have a great and relaxing time with your wife! Sorry you have to come back to this mess, though your wisdom and clarity are missed.

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Susan Nergaard's avatar

Bonfire of the Bathroom Vanities - perfect!

Enjoy your break.

Susan Nergaard

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Leslie Goodman-Malamuth's avatar

Bonfire of the Bathroom Vanities. Once in the loo, this time Dementia Boi didn’t rabbit on about flushing the toilet ten times, or how ineffective low-flow shower heads are while shampooing his hair, which hangs to his shoulders before daily lacquering into its coronet.

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Jenn Borgesen's avatar

You have to flush ten or time to get rid of incriminating documents ...

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Leslie Goodman-Malamuth's avatar

You are correct. Plumbers reported unclogging the bogs filled with torn paper, both in the White House and on Air Force One.

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Jeffrey L Kaufman's avatar

Actually, the economics behind vanities and upholstered furniture merit some comment. First, it is obviously a political move to appease some red- or magenta-state constituents, given the devastation of the High Point NC furniture industries, as well as those for high-end products made in upstate NY. The movement of furniture manufacture to places like Viet Nam has happened because of the differential cost of labor and with the availability of cheap containerized shipping. Also affecting this market is a change in the attitude of the public, where "heirloom-quality" furniture is not a goal, and people just want furniture that will work for a finite period of time, after which it can be trashed. Our grandchildren don't want our furniture. Hence, the popularity of IKEA. The issue with vanities and cabinets is a two-tiered market, and the tariffs will mostly affect big-box stores, such as Home Depot, where people can go to get cabinets for DIY projects or where budget constraints are significant. For any remodeling project where quality matters, one is going to use a more custom-manufactured product, for which the only import issues are hardware. So, these tariffs are going to affect mainly Trump's base with another regressive tax.

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Anna's avatar

Have fun! He will change his mind 10 times by Monday:)

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John Rooney's avatar

Thanks for sharing your trip and musical coda; refreshing escapes from us centric mud pie.

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Matthew Hembree's avatar

Check the blockchain for purchases of Trump-associated coin by major U.S. manufacturers of kitchen cabinets bathroom vanities. Somebody's ponied up the ca$$$h and is getting protection.

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Hans Bodingbauer's avatar

Thanks Mr. Krugman. I think such a post from the POTUS doesn't need any comments. It speaks for itself.

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