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Hansel Krankepantzen

@krankepantzen.bsky.social

5.7K followers 10K following 12K posts

An economist fighting conservative and right wing misinterpretations of economic theory. Why? Because bad economics generates confusion and conflict. USA. 💙 https://hanselkrankepantzen.blogspot.com

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Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 4d

I know I discussed it relatively recently, but I feel I should say a few more words more about the rhetoric of so-called “social welfare functions,” mostly because so many dismiss the baleful effects of bad economics in the conservative style by waving their hands at it. (20) #EconSky #ethics

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Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 14m

Talking rhetorical rot all day long does nothing but draw people's attention away from the things they could be doing to make the world a better place.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 15m

When, and if, you manage to come up with some position on those thorny issues, then try to communicate it to others in our democracy so that enough voters may agree its normative, ethical significance and will vote for it, thus making the world a better place.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 17m

Maybe spend a few moments on that and you can firm up whether your pro or anti democracy, pro or ant conservative technocratic fascism, Democrat or Republican. If you support democracy, then think about the interpersonal ethics of resolving interpersonal conflicts of preferences as over resources.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 18m

The most significant real economic issue today is whether voters should be able to affect democratic government economic policy to reflect their normative, ethical views relating to allocating scarce resources, as guaranteed by the US Constitution, or whether they must be prevented doing that.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 20m

Newsflash! The 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries are over. If you're talking about anti-monarchy "classical liberalism," natural law, deistic theology, theocratism, anarchist utopias, "capitalism," "communism," "fetters," maybe turn your attention to some real issues in this 21st century?

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 23m

Instead of listening to rhetorical rot all day long, I recommend voters pay attention to serious issues, as the debate between pro-democracy liberals and anti-democracy (now) conservatives over the role of voters, democracy, in providing normative inputs to economic policy, goals, evaluation, etc.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 25m

In the world of conservatives, Republicans, that lot are the "best of the best." Have you been to rural or small town USA lately?

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 27m

It seemed a very striking and fitting counterpart to the fascist notion that anyone who does not support authoritarian, undemocratic, conservative, right wing technocratic government, anyone who accepts democracy, the US Constitution, is a "leftist." So unhelpful, misleading nonsense at both ends.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 29m

I saw one of those anti-liberal, anti-democracy real or fake "leftists" declaring anyone who supports something he called "capitalism" was right wing, so liberals, even they reject market utopianism, want to use government to address voters' ethical issues as human welfare, equity, are "right wing."

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Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 37m

How do you feel about the people who put them in the WH then give their gang total control of every branch of the US government? I'm talking about conservative, Republican voters. How do you feel about conservatives? Republicans?

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 38m

Should make some reference as well to the mutant army that gives power to that lot, all the conservative, Republican voters in rural hamlets and small towns across the USA. Not sure the iconography, but something. Zombie, alien, sheep-human hybrid, with a red cap, of course.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 42m

If I were a socially irresponsible, dishonest, conservative, Republican pos voter, I suppose I might have a good laugh about it, in the "saying stupid things to annoy adults" category. But as I'm not, can you fathom how far the USA has fallen to have that fascist fool as our president? My goodness.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 46m

I see fascist Leader / gang boss / conservative, Republican president Lord Dampnut is still going with the evidence-free, self-serving conspiracy theories relating to his people's attack on the US Capitol to murder Dem lawmakers, steal the election. I saw recently he claimed Mr. Biden did it.

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Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 13h

It makes perfect sense to conservative, Republican voters. If Lord Dampnut helps out his right wing, conservative buddy in Argentina, he may make a buck for himself. On the other hand, why should Lord Dampnut care about a woke, welfare state goal like addressing public health issues like measles?

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 13h

I feel in these awkward times we all need to focus on the present and keep our heads in the game. I hear far too many academic, historical critiques of the arc of the Democratic Party or whatever. Yes, it's unfortunate. But also we can't redo the past, we can only work toward a better future.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 13h

Yes, I would say they surely lost their way at some point, but I think it's important to stress they're finding their way again now back to liberalism and real economics because if you look at the parties now, they're clearly not the same. The Democrats have a liberal faction. Republicans are Nazis.

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Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 13h

Two things most Americans are taught to respect without question is economic power, wealth, cast as "success" and meant to indicate ethical merit, and technology, cast as a force inevitably for good that will solve all our problems. Think of, say, Europe in the 19th century or anyway pre-Great War.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 13h

I already got that the other day, presumably from a fascist, arguing I should listen more to fascists, better understand why they support fascism, because they'll be here after Lord Dampnut goes away, and we'll all have to find some way to cooperate with them, work with them. I said not really.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 14h

One might argue they had to face the reality of the times to stay in the game, but reality changes, views of the electorate evolve, the power of the 1980s Reagan Revolution wanes, and liberalism is again on the rise.

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Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 14h

But to be fair to Mr. Biden, he did occasionally, and surprisingly, say some things that seemed clearly influenced by more liberal thinking, something that would have been unthinkable for a Democratic politician even a few years ago.

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 14h

Yes, the Democratic Party has long been dominated by "neoliberals" / conservatives who want to play nice with, woo, appeal to conservative voters. The small but feisty liberal faction is only now starting to come back.

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Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 14h

But it's crumbling now as liberals, progressives, democratic leftists claw their way back. Not everyone now finds it necessary to use polite, twee expressions like "Maga." Some people can face the issues with conservatism, conservative economics, Republican anti-democracy fascism straight on.

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Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 14h

That's the legacy of the pure rhetorical power of anti-democracy conservatism, Republicanism from the 1980s right wing Reagan Revolution, which swept all before it, ended liberalism as a significant force in American politics, made the debate one between right wing and more extreme right wing only.

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Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 14h

Most Americans literally cannot bring themselves to say anything negative about conservatives or Republicans. It's why Lord Dampnut boasted about being able to murder someone in broad daylight in the middle of the street and not lose any voters. Just slap "conservative" or "Republican" on it ...

Hansel Krankepantzen @krankepantzen.bsky.social · 14h

American complacency toward the right wing is so strong that when most Americans want to say anything negative about conservatives, Republicans, they replace "conservative, Republican" with "Maga," to obscure who they're talking about, muddy the water, respect the sacred cows of American politics.

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