The Czar can not even remember a time that the New York Times published something that did not make him blink twice and ask, pointedly, “Whaaaaaaaat?”

Op-ed contributor Paul Krugman serves the Czar up a tasty treat with his “What’s So Great About Europe” homage entitled “Learning From Europe.”

Here is the structure of his argument. Lots of Americans are resisting government intervention in healthcare, fearing it will lead to a European-level mess in diagnosis and treatment. But wait a minute: is Europe really so bad?

Sure, their economy stinks, but so does America’s! Krugman neglects the fact that even when the American economy is strong, Europe’s still stinks.

And American leads the way on technological innovations, but Europe is catching up! Krugman lists access to broadband as an example: but access to broadband is hardly an innovation; it’s a service provision. Where is their internet? Their GPS? Their cell phone technology? It is all on loan from (ahem) the United States.

Yes, there is tremendous unemployment in Europe. But among people 25 to 54, the numbers are about the same as America! Krugman does not point out that our 10+% unemployment is an aberration; when America’s unemployment rate dips down to 4% in 2013, Europe’s will still be at 10%.

Oh, and Europeans work fewer hours, too! Of course, if you are foolish enough to compare holidays and vacation schedules, you should not be too surprised at that. Krugman mentions that French and German productivity is just as high as America’s! Productivity? Measured how? What about in net take home pay? One thinks that the average French or German worker would love an American paycheck, which takes only about 9% out. At the end of the work week, that matters most.

So each of these refutations is highly dubious argumentation. And none of them address his premise that European-style healthcare is desirable. Krugman provides no support for this thesis, and worse, tries to use the same empty arguments that Europeans use to (try to) convince themselves that they haven’t screwed themselves as badly as Americans believe.

Thank goodness this is an op ed piece, although it may not be 180° from what the NYT editors themselves would enjoy seeing here.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.