Similar Headlines, Opposite Points

These two columns from David Brooks and Paul Krugman were published within days in the same publication (I'll give you one guess which publication that is).  They have similar headlines: "The Alternate History" and "The Real Story."  Krugman argues the stimulus was too small, while Brooks argues that the Obama administration miscalculated politically over the past year or so.  Krugman deals with economic issues primarily, leaving politics aside, while Brooks focuses on the reaction to Pres. Obama's perceived overreaching.  Both arguments could be correct, but I dislike the implication of Brooks's column -- that if only Pres. Obama had made the right decisions, we wouldn't be in this mess.  I think Congressional Republicans in their thirst for power should bear more of the blame than Pres. Obama.  The "small government" Republicans have missed no opportunity to state their case, and many Americans have been hoodwinked into believing patent falsehoods about the economy, the President, and the political situation.