Theory of the Vulgar Class: Paul Krugman

[applegrove]

Theory of the Vulgar Class

June 16, 2026 at 8:30 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 89 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2026/06/16/theory-of-the-vulgar-class/

Paul Krugman: “On Sunday Donald Trump celebrated his 80th birthday with a cage match on the White House lawn. The match and the events that surrounded it — especially the press conference with UFC fighters, shown above, held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial — were a desecration of America’s capital, whose monuments and buildings have always endeavored to represent small-r republican virtues. The whole affair was an affront to the values on which this nation was founded and also unspeakably vulgar.”

“That last criticism may strike some readers as elitist and trivial. Yet the vulgarity that is the hallmark of Trump and his surrounding circle of oligarchs is a symptom of something not at all trivial: The collapse of social norms.”

[2naSalit]

1. K&R

[progressoid]

2. He won two elections with the votes of his fellow vulgarians

Great comment but maybe Paul overestimates the character of the average American voter.

[yellow dahlia]

3. Kicking!

Because it is Krugman. When he speaks, I listen.

[orangecrush]

4. K&R

[dalton99a]

5. Goddamn trash.

[BurnDoubt]

6. Next...

He’ll remodel the Oval Bordello so there will be a corner for him to Piss in, as any good Populist would do.
The term “Astonishing” is working as hard as it can to keep up.

[KPN]

7. Kicked. Gladiatorial times for sure. Empire

vulgaris.

[GiqueCee]

8. As I recall...

... it was Graydon Carter and Kurt Andersen of SPY magazine that coined the phrase, "short-fingered vulgarian" to describe Trump back in the 80s, and was the root of the "tiny hands" reputation that so upsets Trump to this day.