Krugman, Paul (2007)The Conscience of a Liberal, New York: W.W. Norton, 226 pages.

Abstract: this review was written as if it is an account of American history from the 1940-2014 seen from an elderly world war two veteran. Dr. Krugman writes in standard academic form. After reviewing nearly all the variables that may have gotten us to this point. Race and the growth of the super Rich appear to be the basic independent variables that have determined reality now.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

You come home to waving crowds and loving families. World War II was a clear moral victory. You did your best and your country and your God loved you. You saw so much slaughter and so many times a bullet whistled by your head. You got one leg banged up, but it is better now. All that junk that you wanted to do before the war is gone. You want to nest now and get a good secure job. The feds helped with the GI bill and America with few competitors that were not in ruins, commercially  took off. A new social class was created, it was called the” middle class.” Folks went to church. You could even afford to buy a car and a little ranch house.

TALK ABOUT REVOLUTION

There for awhile, it all seemed fine. America became the tower of the world. There was a civil war going on in Vietnam and after JFK, something seemed different. Your kids were rich, but stifled with over conformity and a curriculum that did not mean much. Your daughter could have lots of sex like your son because she could take the pill. They read about another America, both foreign and domestic. They protested mainly non-violently, the very things that you and your buddies gave their lives, they spat on and burned the flag.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

America lost the war. The president had to resign. Men could cry and women wore men’s clothes and wanted to get on top. Stagflation and countless other economic and the softer social variables conflated into a hell of a mess. By now, you switched churches because the minister gave a sermon in support of the kids and those dark people. Rich kids of whom they all look alike and screw all the time, burned down the college administration building.

WE SHALL OVERCOME

By now Ronald Reagan could give you a clear vision of what big government means. At a small university, a guy named Karl Rove was handing out little books about how that phony Dwight David Eisenhower ( a war hero who was called Ike and was president of the United States) was not a choice against  the socialism of the Kennedys and Roosevelts, but an echo of them. The harder you worked, the more the rich made. At one time, you played down how much you made, now folks out of anger could show those Communist-Islamic cowards that you can still make it big in America.

A SUBHUMAN MONGREL. Sure enough, after all the division and hate,  Americans elect  a Kenyan monkey . You can now be a queer. The only good thing to come along is pornography where women are put in their place.

DIVERGENCE

Every year, the rich get richer. They don’t know you and yet you need them to get the word out that it is time to secede from the country. Further, you might get rich too.

CODA

In common terminology, the above describes the 1940’s to now. It is written by a very smart guy named Krugman. What is written above was not all written  from fact. This well crafted book ends in 2007 and most information is almost a decade ago. And yet, it could be embellish just a bit and published today. Briefly, all kinds of soft and hard variables help explain the divisions in America. However, at the very bottom is this:

1. The biggest ever present, all encompassing variable is race. There are hundreds of words that  are coded and laminated and surround the word “n gger.” If all black people were pushed out of the country and all the 50 some million whites who have black heritage, were removed, the Republicans and some Democrats say we would have a better country. They say it in coded terms. Krugman is saying that if the issue of racism or related is muted, the chance to extend the welfare state (social democratic capitalism) is much greater. We then begin to move up again as we did with the New Deal.

2. We must begin and consistently fight to tax the rich. As an example, the top 1% have 89% of the fungible wealth. What does that mean? It means that with this money a quick e-mail, telephone call or related, billions of dollars can quickly move all over the world. Top 1% own 90% of the wealth. Trickle down means trickle out to tax shelters everywhere. It is  ever moving investment money. It needs to be taxed along with the other 4 or 5 revenue streams that currently are regressively taxed. Most western democracies have across the board progressive tax.

So. Color and taxes, Krugman appears to tells us much about the future. If you want to argue with him or want to read more, buy the book.

Prof. Joel C. Snell

Emeritus

Kirkwood College

Cedar Rapids, Ia.

52402