Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

BootinUp

(50,412 posts)
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 09:47 AM Sep 5

P. Krugman: America is now ruled by people who hate progress of all kinds,

Excerpt from Krugmans new article: Why does the Right reject progress.

As Hotez points out, vaccines in general have done incredible good, and the new mRNA vaccines are a scientific and medical miracle — yet RFK Jr. and his allies are trying to kill both vaccines and thousands, maybe millions of people. Mann, famous for his “hockey stick” chart showing the recent spike in global temperatures, has documented the danger from climate change. Advances in renewable energy, however, have made tackling global emissions far easier than anyone imagined — yet Trump and co. are actively suppressing the adoption of this technological breakthrough.
What I realized after our conversation is that the problem they discuss, of reactionaries who both refuse to accept progress and try to block it, goes well beyond their specific fields, and even science in general. America is now ruled by people who hate progress of all kinds, economic and social as well as scientific. They refuse to acknowledge the progress we’ve made on multiple fronts and are doing their best to reverse it.
Why? I don’t have a full theory, only some scattered thoughts, which I’ll get to at the end. First, though, let me explain the progress I have in mind.

Link https://open.substack.com/pub/paulkrugman/p/why-does-the-right-reject-progress

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

Goonch

(4,002 posts)
1. What do most of trumps appointees have in common.....
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 10:06 AM
Sep 5

Loyalty and political alignment:
Election denial: Political flexibility: Media presence and background:
Central casting look:
Professional and financial background:
Extraordinary wealth: Non-traditional qualifications: Less academic:Less government-centric:Less diversity:toxic to democracy

Attilatheblond

(7,281 posts)
2. They've been planning & working for this for a long time
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 10:09 AM
Sep 5

Barry's Boys comes to mind



Lyrics https://genius.com/The-chad-mitchell-trio-barrys-boys-lyrics

[Verse 1]
We're the bright young men, who wanna go back to 1910
We're Barry's boys
We're the kids with a cause, yes, a government like grandmama's
We're Barry's boys
We're the new kind of youth at your alma mater
Uh, back to silver standard and solid Goldwater
Back to when the poor were poor, and rich were rich
And you felt so damn secure just knowin' which were which

[Verse 2]
We're the kids who agree to be social without security
We're Barry's boys
'Cause his hat's in the ring
Where Westbrook Pegler once was king (Now, he's too left wing)
So if you don't recognize any old Red China
Or Canada or Britain or South Carolina
You too can join the crew, Tippecanoe and Nixon, too
Back to Barry, back to "cash and carry"
Back with Barry's boys (Here we go)
See pop shows near Phoenix
Get tickets as low as $97
You might also like
The Banks of Sicily
The Chad Mitchell Trio
The Tarriers Song
The Chad Mitchell Trio
Lizzie Borden
The Chad Mitchell Trio
[Bridge]
Why does a chicken cross the road?
To get from the left to the right (Right)
Roses are red, violets are blue
Walter Lippmann's a pinko, too (You got it, Joe)
A-la-ka-nee, ka-nah, ka-nay
Let's investigate the PTA
Barry, Barry, make your bid
I love John Birch, but oh you kid
Mother, mother, wear a grin
And don't complain or we'll turn ya in
Hold the presses, stop the mail
The Pentagon's havin' a one-cent sale
What's the latest new statistic?
Hootenannies are socialistic
Shut the door and lock and latch it
Here comes Lizzie with a brand new hatchet
Back with Barry's boys

[Verse 3]
We're the kids full of nerve as long as it's conservative
We're Barry's boys
And we can't comprehend why our parents aren't friendlier
To Barry's boys
Why Dad once crusaded for Sacco/Vanzetti
Now, all we're doin' is doin' the same for John Paul Getty
Our parents emulated Roosevelt and Farley
But we just wanna grow up to be like Ev and Charlie (Right)
[Verse 4]
No college days with Socrates or Plato
When you're Barry's boys
Just organize parades for the abolishment of NATO
And the rest, the entire West
So let's go back to the days when men were men
And start the First World War all over again
That's right you tell 'em son, "Isolationism can be fun"
Back with Barry, back to "cash and carry"
Back with Barry's ...
And remember, "I'm an American first, and a politician second" Spoken like a true American politician
Back with Barry, not Lyndon, Ike or Harry
Back with Barry's boys

Attilatheblond

(7,281 posts)
4. The vinyl album is on my shelf. Brother gave it to me when he put all his music on reel-to-reel decades ago
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 10:35 AM
Sep 5

I've been singing this song since I was 10. Parents of my Japanese American bestie always smiled and nodded. They knew.

BootinUp

(50,412 posts)
9. Yes, thats the basic equation. But still I can be astounded
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 12:17 PM
Sep 5

by the illogical way they lead us.

gfarber

(100 posts)
7. Reactionaries
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 12:02 PM
Sep 5


Reactionaries stuck in the past,
Block progress that’s coming on fast.
From vaccines to green,
They rage and they scheme—
Afraid that the future won’t last.

They sneer at the needle and sun,
Denying the good science’s done.
With malice and lies,
They hasten demise—
And cheer while the world comes undone.

JT45242

(3,631 posts)
10. More evidence of Antiintellectualism in America
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 12:25 PM
Sep 5

Read a book in a coole history class by that name, pretty certain it was by Hoffstadter.

This is nothing new. Wealthy and powerful hate intellectualism because it leads to empathy and Realizations that might endanger the hegemony of those with wealth and power maintaining that situation for their lives and passing it down to their progeny.

mitch96

(15,478 posts)
12. The only "progress" they want is the progression of money into their pockets...
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 02:47 PM
Sep 5

Follow the money..
m

Latest Discussions»Editorials & Other Articles»P. Krugman: America is no...