President of Estonia takes on Paul Krugman

http://twitter.com/#!/politicalmath/status/210483349591044100

So, what exactly has aroused the ire of the Estonian president? This:

Since Estonia has suddenly become the poster child for austerity defenders — they’re on the euro and they’re booming! — I thought it might be useful to have a picture of what we’re talking about. Here’s real GDP, from Eurostat:

So, a terrible — Depression-level — slump, followed by a significant but still incomplete recovery. Better than no recovery at all, obviously — but this is what passes for economic triumph?

The broken-window enthusiast and global economics expert (a Nobel Prize confers lifelong credibility, remember) has clearly struck a nerve with President Ilves, who let loose on Twitter:

Let's write about something we know nothing about & be smug, overbearing & patronizing: after all, they're just wogs: http://t.co/EWZ5YCIT

— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) June 6, 2012

Guess a Nobel in trade means you can pontificate on fiscal matters & declare my country a "wasteland". Must be a Princeton vs Columbia thing

— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) June 6, 2012

But yes, what do we know? We're just dumb & silly East Europeans. Unenlightened. Someday we too will understand. Nostra culpa.

— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) June 6, 2012

Let's sh*t on East Europeans: their English is bad, won't respond & actually do what they've agreed to & reelect govts that are responsible.

— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) June 6, 2012

Sorry, not conserv. or leftist. Just can't fathom why following agreed upon EU fiscal rules justifies smug & snide gloating re: my country.

— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) June 6, 2012

The verbal body-checking drew plenty of admiration from the Twitterverse:

https://twitter.com/llondo/status/210488356763746304

https://twitter.com/BrianRKnight/status/210488385880600576

Apparently the president of Estonia, @IlvesToomas, likes owning Paul Krugman on twitter. #awesome #FollowHim

— Eric Hughes (@EricHughesSD) June 6, 2012

https://twitter.com/DelMadden/status/210486691570528257

To apologize to Estonia, Paul Krugman is going to hire kids to run around Estonia breaking windows to stimulate the economy.

— Frank J. Fleming (@IMAO_) June 6, 2012

Hey @NYTimesKrugman, The President of Estonia, @IlvesToomas, just pantsed you on Twitter. How did it feel? #tcot #p2

— RB (@RBPundit) June 6, 2012

@IlvesToomas – Estonia is a model of post-socialist transition both in choosing institutions and financial innovation! Much to be proud of.

— Daniel Altman (@altmandaniel) June 6, 2012

President of Estonia = hero

— Mike G (@miketotheg) June 6, 2012

I loved Estonia for so many reasons. Now, I've also discovered that they have the coolest President EVER (if his Twitter acc isn't a fake).

— Luca Lucchetta (@LucaLucc) June 6, 2012

And that’s the thing: as of right now, we’re not 100 percent positive it’s actually the president of Estonia tweeting from that account. The account isn’t currently verified, after all. And, well, expressions like “chill” and “y’all” aren’t exactly common in Eastern Europe …

Chill. Just because my country's policy runs against the Received Wisdom & I object doesn't mean y'all gotta follow me. http://t.co/oab5TQ3q

— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) June 6, 2012

But then, Ilves attended college and graduate school in the U.S., so maybe he just has a soft spot for our lingo.

What we do know is that Toomas Ilves most definitely is the president of Estonia. And Paul Krugman definitely is due for a verbal slap … Please oh please oh please, President Ilves. Your follower count has jumped by nearly 1,000 since your first tweet at Krugman. Please be for real! Don’t let us down!

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2012/06/06/president-of-estonia-takes-on-paul-krugman/