Lets see just how popular Krugman really is..........

[Joe the Liberal]

The year is 2012, Krugman is still not happy with Obama's economic policies and so he decides to run against him as a presidential candidate. Who do you vote for?........

[JVS]

1. Krugman in the primaries.

Maybe if he throws the kitchen sink, he'll be appointed to the Fed.

[MadMaddie]

2. Krugman is a very smart man who has a case of the egoitis...

That's all...

[BlooInBloo]

3. He does seem to be edging into Jump The Shark waters....

(And I'm someone who's inclined to *agree* with him.)

[Skittles]

4. this is fucking ridiculous

[MercutioATC]

5. Depends on how Obama does.

If he doesn't change course economically, we may be voting with different-colored pebbles in 2012...

[Captain Hilts]

6. This is stupid. nt

[Buck Laser]

7. Krugman is a useful gadfly.

I'm glad to have someone from the left criticizing Obama's economic policy. I might wish he could move further to the left, but I'm happy he's working at damage control.

[CBR]

8. This thread is strange but what do you think of this paragraph...

"It's strange now to read the critiques of America's business system during the bad years--the accusations that our companies were too focused on stock prices and financial returns, and that the U.S. was at a disadvantage compared with countries where the government actively regulated competition and promoted particular technologies. These days, those supposed vices sound like virtues: a stock market that does not allow established firms to rest on their laurels, the resulting responsiveness of companies to market incentives, fierce competition to develop the new new thing, and the ability of this wild and crazy system to boldly go where no bureaucrat ever thought there was a potential payoff. Either the old critiques were wrong or the world has changed in a way that turns America's characteristic weaknesses into strengths. Whatever the reason, right now we feel pretty good about our way of doing business."

Citation: Krugman, P. (March 6, 2000). Unleashing The Millennium: After 100 years of trial and error--and some mighty dark days during the '30s and '70s--Economic Man is free at last. Fortune Magazine. 141:5

[orwell]

16. He's really positive...

...right at the top.

Nice to see he can be as amateur as the next guy...

[Stevepol]

9. Useless poll. Obama is a politician, Krugman an economist.

Better poll:

Who's right about handling the banking sector and AIG? Obama or Krugman.

Krugman wins this hands down.

But I still wouldn't vote for Krugman against Obama in a POLITICAL race.

I really like Obama, think he'll be a great president before he's done, one of our best in a terrible time. But right now, he's captive of the moneyed class and he's wasting loads of money. It comes down to who you trust. Maybe Geithner is right, but I trust him about like I would trust McCain over Obama running the country.

We'll see.

[FrenchieCat]

10. The only problem with your post is that in order to implement Krugman's idea,

one would have to be a politician skilled way better than Obama.

To nationalize what you can't nationalize is hard work. Krugman should try it.

[Stevepol]

14. You can do what you want to with what you own. We own 80% of AIG.

I'm no expert but I've heard a bunch of economists and experts, Stiglitz, Galbraith, Reich, and most recently Greider and Chomsky, and others too give exactly that prescription. Treat it like receivership or nationalization, call it what you will. Clean it up. Let the bad assets go, break it into smaller units and sell the units off.

Clean break, Taxpayers would profit or wouldn't be out nearly as much, and the new banks would be much more likely to loan since they would be solvent.

[Egnever]

15. Our 80% holdings are non voting stock

We dont get to tell them anything. We are however first in line for payment.

[TankLV]

11. Depends on what leads up to this...

right now I support BOTH...

[ArchieStone1]

12. I doubt Krugman is interested in popularity contests

I think he wants to tell people what he believes, based on his expertise, is the right course for the nation.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

13. Krugman's good at criticism, but not so good at offering realistic alternatives...

[LittleBlue]

17. This would be similar to saying Obama is running for dean of the Princeton school of economics

against Krugman. Who would you vote for?

Krugman has already stated he does not have the temperament to be in the cabinet, let alone running for an elected position.