Liberal economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman argued Friday that continued skepticism of the election would serve as a healthy check against President-elect Trump, and that people should not begin “normalizing” Trump’s presidency by accepting the results.
“Even if Trump can’t be stopped, we need any constraints on his actions we can find — and threat of public outrage is really all there is,” he said on Twitter.
“Plus, the chance to turn things around in future elections does depend in part on not normalizing the 2016 assault on democracy,” he said in another tweet. “Plus, anything that enhances future chance of turnaround is essential — which means not forgetting and normalizing the subversion of 2016. You can’t put this back in the box, and trying to do so just makes the horror of the situation worse.”
Krugman mused that Trump may have “interesting incentives” as they relate to the election legitimacy issue once he takes office.
“Thought: There was (rightly) a cloud of illegitimacy over Bush, dispelled (wrongly) by 9/11,” he wrote on Twitter. “Creates some interesting incentives for Trump.”
Thought: There was (rightly) a cloud of illegitimacy over Bush, dispelled (wrongly) by 9/11. Creates some interesting incentives for Trump
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) December 16, 2016
Even if Trump can’t be stopped, we need any constraints on his actions we can find — and threat of public outrage is really all there is 2/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) December 16, 2016
Some interpreted the tweet as a suggestion that Trump may want to capitalize on a national tragedy.
Krugman has said in the past that he blames FBI Director James Comey for Hillary Clinton’s loss. He cites Comey, in the final days of the election, sending an ominous letter to Congress that stated the FBI had found new evidence related to Clinton’s private email server.
He has also fingered the hacking of Democratic leaders’ emails, believed to have been executed by Russia.
During a press conference at the White House on Friday, President Obama said he believed the email hacking, including those of her campaign chair John Podesta, hurt Clinton but he would not say that the election results were illegitimate.
