Paul Krugman Song Lights Up YouTube (VIDEO)

The increasingly aggressive Krugman v. Geithner showdown has spilled out onto YouTube. Jonathan Mann, the creator of Rock Cookie Bottom, writes a song every day. This time he brought his folk/pop stylings to the world of economic policy with "Hey Paul Krugman," and ode to "the famous economist, Nobel prize winner and all around cool guy."

In the song, Mann begs the question "why isn't Krugman in the administration?" and calls Timothy Geithner a weasel. Krugman has been critical of Geithner's policies and the administration's economic policies as a whole. Yesterday he went as far as to call Geithner's plan an "awful mess."

WATCH:

UPDATE:

Mann has followed up his viral hit with "Come On, Nouriel", about the economist, Nouriel Roubini.

WATCH:

Comments

[schaffermommy]

he just made a new one that is my favorite, and i bet most of us can agree! :-D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeTV3eIkzp0

description:
#84! It's about my strange Obama Neurosis. I love him; I'm confused by his choices. He's great; he makes no sense! This back and forth forces me into this Jekyll and Hyde mindset. Yes! No! Argh!

[ProgressiveBum]

Good one!

[Lisamiamoore]

Love it! thank you.

[jimstoic]

"Begs the question" does not mean "raises the question"! It means circular reasoning. Look it up!

[ReverseUniversal]

This is true, but language changes. I'd say it is fairly likely that "Begs the question" is now used more often to mean "raises the question" than it is to indicate circular reasoning.

[IvyShoots]

While you are correct that the term "begs the question" is now commonly used in a new way, it was still incorrectly used here.

To beg the question is to make a statement which prompts a question in the listener's mind. For instance, Geithner's tax problems beg the question, "Was he a wise choice for Sec. of the Treasury?" Since Mann directly ASKS why Krugman isn't in the administration, he didn't "beg" that question at all; he raised it himself.

[macweenie]

And decimate means to reduce by 10%, but is more often used as a substitute for destroyed. It still grates my nerves everytime I hear it misused though.

[thedirtyrationalist]

Decimate does mean to reduce by 10%, but it also means, "to reduce drastically especially in number b: to cause great destruction or harm to "

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decimate

It's possible that this definition was added recently due to people using it in this way - I'm not sure, but it wouldn't surprise me.

[Newsmonger]

It is very easy to point at mistakes, even Krugman is all too often falling into the trap that many noble laurates have fallen - Thinking that they know it all.

Instead of criticisimg almost all the economy policies of the current administration; I dare Krugman to stick his head and reputation out there and write a complete detail of the alternative means of reviving this economy and the world economy at large. Let hime write a book and forecast what should be done and how it should be done.

This will enable us to judge him tomorrow and events have unfolded. Since the Government have proposed and implemented alot of policies to address the current crises; if things turned around tomorrow, everybody that had been criticising the Government, will say that their criticism still stands because it was not the polices that they criticized that made the economy whole but other policies or world events; but by laying their plans all out there, they will not have much cover.

[vgirl1]

My sentiment exactly.

I have been begging Krugman for days to come up with a detailed plan to solve the nation's economic and banking crisis vs just criticizing the plans of the administration.

He however continues with his narcissistic outbursts of negativity.

[Lillopa]

Krugman you say what?? Well tell all American people seeing your so busy pointing the finger, what is your plan lay it all out from head to toe how to solve and the ripple effects for the better along the way, and end results, when the economy crises will end and the time it will take place, you think?---and do not forget follow the legal laws of deregulations now in place--with AIG... force AIG with bonouses etc and wait for AIG to come and sue you now for it was all done legal --easy yah right?

[aspecialed]

Krugman would fit in well with the whole team of rivals concept.

[LCM1220]

yeah....what the hell happened to that theory???? Oh yeah...and what about "firing generals" like Lincoln used to do, until he got the RIGHT GENERAL!!!! Come on Obama.....it's time for THE CHANGE WE NEED.......

[Alice R]

right! and what about getting the expertise of washington outsiders? what happened to that? and, like, we were supposed to trust obama because he was right about iraq, but yet obama doesn't want to trust krugman, who WAS RIGHT about the economic crisis?

[platanoman]

Funny song but Krugman can't work in the administration. He was offer a job in Clinton Administration, and they said he was a major dick.

[maggiee]

So what? He doesn't have to be a nice guy. He probably thinks he's smarter than everybody else....guess what...there's a reason he thinks that.

[arcanepsyche]

"He's a dick" = Shouldn't work for the president.

Ah the thoughts of a second grader.

[Eriq]

Looks like Geithner will have to hire another stupid kid to write a song about Krugman, huh?
Geez, what a three-ring circus! And the kid hardly has any talent for song-writing.

[Roxanna]

Great political songs Jonathan Mann, and great to draw attention to these men!

[Bitsko]

Just a sideshow and strictly ballroom, compared to the disaster that Bush and Wall Street have handed us.

[SecondBase]

Bitsko, shouldn't you be in church, giving thanks for your Wildcats?

[John Russell FL 5]

What is the problem w/ mentioning John Edwards? He DID NOT take Wall Street Money PERIOD! Is this comment vanilla enough or is the mere mention of a former Presidential candidate OFF LIMITS?

[schaffermommy]

i know what you mean! so many weird 'no-no's' in the land of commenting at h.u.f.f. pretty lame..

[John Russell FL 5]

Be that as it may John Edwards Did Not Take Wall Street Cash as did his opponents. Therein lies part of the problem... Wall Street Tail Wagg'n the dawg! Rubini, Krugman, Engdahl, Hudson... ton restore the US economy! Get rid of the Wall Streeters! Don't just be a bunch of CHEERLEADERS! CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM AND FACT should be desired in a democracy!

[Marc Mann]

I hope the Huffington Post displays more of this creative singer/songwriter. Keep them coming!!!!

[Jonathan Mann]

Thanks dad...

[Pumpsie]

For what it's worth, I'm with you two! Great job, Jonathan. Keep 'em coming. Hey, "for what it's worth" would be a great song title...what do you think?

[schaffermommy]

how cute!

[schaffermommy]

how weird..huf blocked the rest of my comment when all i said was 'i would humbly request a song about p@trick b.y.r.n.e. also :)' wonder if it will work this time..

[kotexbarbie]

Paul , Paul, Paul, Paul ,Thank you for blessing me with knowledge of the economy!

And getting me through the Bush years.

[Jonah Lalas - Huffpost Blogger]

this is the best political music video i've seen since Yes We Can! i love the "obama break down" with the bubbles. and to saddiemcall and other people critical of Krugman, he has been presenting from the beginning of this mess what he thinks should be done. he was one of the first prominent economists to openly call for nationalization. people like Rush don't present solutions. Krugman criticizes, but provides what he thinks should be the next step.

[AngelaQuattrano]

I am totally rocking to this and Free Money in the USA. There is no way to rebut the political music of a talented singer/songwriter.

[vgirl1]

Nationalization is a concept. It is not a solution.

Krugman needs to put some meat on the table as to exactly what he would do and how he would do it. People have as many views on what nationalization means as their are grains of salt. So, Mr. Krugman, lets hear some details!

Until some concrete plan is offered, Krugman is just spewing hot air along with all the rest of the nay sayers as far as I am concerned.

[webmonkey]

Krugman hasn't managed anything more than a few smelly grad students.

[kotexbarbie]

He managed to win the Nobel Prize for Economics.

[2Hope4ever]

He won the Nobel prize for a Theory ,nothing applicable. This economy is a real life situation, they are the real deal, not a theory.