Squirrel

It's very difficult to get any idea into legislation and into something that might pass and into something that might be signed. If there's anything half way decent that has some chance of being of moderate help to anyone slightly less poor than Larry Summers, people like Larry Summers (not just picking on him!) come along and try to derail it.

Don't do that thing which might actually pass, do this other thing that won't possibly pass and I wouldn't support anyway!

They used to be able to do this simply by saying, "whoa, if you're going to spend that much money, you'd better spend it wisely!" But now that "lol shutup about the deficit" is something even mainstream reporters do, they have to come up with something else. They're running with "your idea helps rich people, Akshually!" or "This plan will OVERHEAT the economy!" *

“I find it ironic and pathetic that the progressive wing of the Democratic party... are all excited to give $50k or more of debt relief to young people who are working at Wall Street investment banks making six-digit sums of money,” Larry Summers, Wall Street Week #studentloans

— Alex Tanzi (@atanzi) February 20, 2021

Larry Summers, really upset at the possibility of helping rich people! This is very convincing to goldfish.

It should be an obvious strategy, but people who have a long history of not operating in good faith always manage to maintain their position in good standing, somehow. Total mystery. Larry's friends need to come for him, but they don't, so here we are.

*The "overheat the economy" thing is at least a more honest description of the potential, if not actual, problem of spending a bunch of money, instead of the vague moralizing and "tighten our belts" and "passing the debt to your grandchildren" or even "raise your taxes@!@!!" stuff they used to be able to get away with.