January 29, 2004

Where No Economist Has Gone Before Former Reagan administration economist Paul Craig Roberts compared today's taxes "with that of a 19th century American slave." According to him many 19th century slaves came out better. Slaves in that situation were as free as today's American taxpayer to choose their housing from the available stock, purchase their food and clothing, and entertain themselves. In fact, they were freer than today's American taxpayer. By hard work and thrift, they could save enough to purchase their freedom. Roberts must be getting talking points from Grover (I compare the estate tax to the holocaust) Norquist.
posted by Sullivan 20 years ago
  • Hey, Sully, you reading Wonkette? Not bad at all, if you're into that sort of thing.
  • I hope this is not a derail but I've heard a lot of dumb economic thinking today and I'd like to supplement this FPP with it. Here's a commentary by Jay Bryant about the deficit (about 3/4 of the page down) so full of spin and disinformation you have to hear it to believe it. I especially like "government checks never bounce" and "the surplus didn't last but it could come back, just when you least expect it". Meanwhile, the WaPo decides that the jobless recovery isn't so bad. Probably because editors aren't finding themselves out of work.
  • Um, when was the last time you got a cheque from the government that bounced?
  • Wolof: Perhaps you could speak to anyone old enough to remember Weimar Germany about that. Or, failing that, you could speak to some Argentinians. Other that that: Most. Repulsive. Economics. Ever.
  • Brad Delong and Eugene Volokh post response to Roberts column. I read the Washington Post editorial. Boy, have they gotten weird since Kay Graham died. Thanks for the link to Wonkette, Wolof. I have to bookmark it.
  • Before my time on MoFi, this thread, but I just found it, and WOW. Is it wrong for me to want to punch people like Paul Craig Roberts, hard, and in the face?
  • ... the index ignores the simple truth that people who do not own the product of their labor are not free. People subject to an income tax do not own the product of their labor.
    Roberts is a Marxian.
  • Yeah, how ironic does that line read?