Left v. center-left, continued

Paul Krugman, writing on Twitter, offers his take on Brad DeLong’s recent writings on the rise of left-wing Democrats and their economic proposals. Paul argues that the newly ascendant left — personified by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — plays a productive role on labor policy, fiscal policy and climate policy but a self-defeating role on health care policy. I largely agree.

On labor: Democrats should indeed put more emphasis on increasing workers’ bargaining power than they have in recent years.

On the budget: Democrats have been the party of fiscal responsibility for a quarter-century now, and they have earned little political credit for it . Bond markets also don’t seem worried about the deficit or national debt. So there are multiple reasons for Democrats to prioritize other issues — like lifting living standards — over deficit reduction.

On climate: This is one place I’d be somewhat more critical than Paul. The Green New Deal — that is, simultaneously addressing climate change and trying to create good-paying jobs — is a great concept. But the rollout was needlessly sloppy, and the substance was weaker than it should have been.

On health care: An ambitious Medicare expansion makes all kinds of sense. But mandatory Medicare for All, with the elimination of private insurance, is a pipe dream. The country has too many important challenges for the next Democratic president to make single-payer health care — as opposed to universal health care — the No. 1 priority.