Professor Krugman:
For some time now (Jersey Guv Chris) Christie has been
touting what he calls the “Jersey comeback.” Even before his latest
outburst, it was hard to see what he was talking about: yes, there have
been some job gains in the McMansion State since Mr. Christie took
office, but they have lagged gains both in the nation as a whole and in
New York and Connecticut, the obvious points of comparison.
Yet Mr. Christie has been adamant that New Jersey is on the way back,
and that this makes room for, you guessed it, tax cuts that would
disproportionately benefit the wealthy.
Last week reality hit: David Rosen, the state’s independent, nonpartisan
budget analyst, told legislators that the state faces a $1.3 billion
shortfall. How did the governor respond?
First, by attacking the messenger. According to Mr. Christie, Mr. Rosen —
a veteran public servant whose office usually makes more accurate
budget forecasts than the state’s governor — is “the Dr. Kevorkian of
the numbers.” Civility!
