Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman slams Starbucks CEO: ‘Who says there are any Schultz voters?’

Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman truly hates conservatives posing as centrists or even as serious economists and the clueless beltway reporters that prop them up. And he does not mince his words when exposing the fraud called Paul Ryan or the various so-called economists on the right that sing the praises of tax-cuts and show grave concern for budget deficits except when they don’t.

This morning Krugman decided to put former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz through the mill; Schultz, who has wafty aspirations to run for the presidency in 2020 as an independent, and who has been going on the media circuit this week scalding Democrats, Elizabeth Warren, AOC and Harris on their tax and medicare proposals, has offered nothing besides some caramel-laced platitudes about Washington and the two-party system being broken, etc.

Take a look at these series of tweets from Krugman. As usual, Krugman’s words are carefully chosen and are chock-full of information and insights. And humor. E.g., “For Schultz is basically the very model of a major modern centrist.”

Howard Schultz may go away once he realizes that nobody wants him. Or maybe not: with great wealth comes great ego, plus people who will feed it. But let’s treat this as a teachable moment about what centrism means in America today 1/ https://t.co/C6va5ogfPv

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) January 29, 2019

On economics, Schultz is way to the right of the public 2/ https://t.co/0V7RHfPZz2

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) January 29, 2019

More generally, the socially-liberal/economically conservative position — the lower right quadrant in this figure — is basically the Empty Quadrant of American politics — except in green rooms 5/ pic.twitter.com/fNXcxLV9bg

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) January 29, 2019

And concern about fiscal responsibility was always selective. Awards for Paul Ryan; effective silence when the Trump tax cut blew up the deficit; but constant stern lectures to Democrats about how they must pay for their promises 7/ https://t.co/zGpiIc34Am

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) January 29, 2019

As I was saying: centrist on the right, only attacks Democrats 9/ https://t.co/tuOkGMlYdj

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) January 29, 2019

Who says there are any Schultz voters? Aside from immediate family, and given secret ballots not sure about them. https://t.co/nrj8m4MMmM

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) January 29, 2019

Because nobody has ever said those magic words, with no specifics, before https://t.co/QunumUBiVz

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) January 29, 2019

Here is Elizabeth Warren’s full-bodied response to Schultz’s weak-tea attack on her tax proposal:

What’s “ridiculous” is billionaires who think they can buy the presidency to keep the system rigged for themselves while opportunity slips away for everyone else. The top 0.1%, who’d pay my #UltraMillionaireTax, own about the same wealth as 90% of America. It’s time for change. https://t.co/D04G5fNvpa

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 29, 2019

Schultz’s bean-headed attack on Harris. Healthcare, coffee, what’s the difference?

“That’s not correct. That’s not American,” Schultz claimed, adding “What’s next? What industry are we going to abolish next? The coffee industry?” https://t.co/VJoXWX0ZAa via @mediaite

— Brian Schwartz (@schwartzbCNBC) January 29, 2019

And he certainly does not like taxes, AOC or Democratic policies. So, what does that make him?

Billionaire ex-Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said he’s considering running for president as a centrist independent. He added that he isn’t a fan of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s proposed 70% marginal tax rate on Americans who make more than $10 million. https://t.co/tmLzPZdHhvpic.twitter.com/UARN44Gd2P

— CNBC (@CNBC) January 29, 2019

Who seriously thinks that this is a serious candidate or that he will appeal to Democrats or that he is not playing the game for personal gain? Somewhere, there is a book to be sold. Somewhere in the parlors of the ultra-rich, there is fear brewing of the Democratic tax plans.  Hence, perhaps the desire to keep Republicans in power by attacking Democrats and peeling off some votes. Let’s expose Schultz for what he is — a rich conservative wolf in centrist clothing.