Macroeconomic policy can never be devoid of politics: it involves fundamental trade-offs and affects different groups differently.

Look at the declining television coverage. Look at the declining voting rate. Economics and economic news is what moves the country now not politics.

You have to believe that it's through politics that societies can lead social and economic and political change.

On the contrary the characteristic element of the present situation is that economic questions have finally and irrevocably invaded the domain of public life and politics.

Economics politics and personalities are often inseparable.

The ability of the 1 percent to buy politicians and regulators is nothing new in American politics - just as inequality has been a permanent part of our economic system. This is true of virtually all political and economic systems.

I got politics and economics moving and then others took over.

Whether one believes or not religion is as real a force in the life of the world as economics or politics and it demands fair-minded attention. Even if you think the entire religious enterprise is at best misguided and at worst counterproductive it remains vital inspiring great good and sometimes great evil.

You have to take away some of tax breaks for the wealthy and you have to cut back on some entitlements. Because unless we do all of these things it just doesn't work. And what's good theater and what's good politics isn't necessarily good economic policy.

And yet there are still people in American politics who for some reason cling to this belief that America is better off adopting the economic policies of nations whose people who immigrate here from there.