re: #158 Carlos Machina

Hello,

You give a lot of weight to this “economic orthodoxy. Much of your argument depends upon the opinions of this orthodoxy.

Could you identify it more fully? I’ve spent a lot of time studying economics and reading current opinions of recognized experts from all political stripes, but I find little orthodoxy in economics.

Is it possible that when you hear statements which fit into your political perspective, they become orthodoxy to you, but statements which do not square with your outlook are relegated to unorthodoxy?

For example, in one of your messages above, you seem to reject all Krugman’s opinions, except the one about free trade, which you say is opposed by the left.

Do you believe all left wing economic ideas are wrong? If not, please name one with which you agree.

Carlos

Krugman is correct about more than free trade. He is also correct that the rich can and should be taxed at higher levels than they are currently. That is certainly a left-wing economic idea, and it is one that I agree with.

Where Krugman is wrong is his claim that, given our current levels of national debt, we can just spend our way out of this recession.