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Comment on the Commentary of the Day by Donald J. Boudreaux Chairman, Department of Economics George Mason University [email protected]

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Comment on the Commentary of the Day by Donald J. Boudreaux Chairman, Department of Economics George Mason University Dboudrea@Gmu.Edu Comment on the Commentary of the Day by Donald J. Boudreaux Chairman, Department of Economics George Mason University [email protected] http://www.cafehayek.com Disclaimer: The following “Letters to the Editor” were sent to the respective publications on the dates indicated. Some were printed but many were not. The original articles that are being commented on may or may not be available on the internet and may require registration or subscription to access if they are. Some of the original articles are syndicated and therefore may have appeared in other publications also. 13 September 2009 canonized in the popular even a contribution as mind. colossal as his is quickly Editor, The New York taken for granted, any Times Alas, in our world, potential notice of it 620 Eighth Avenue melodramatic loud-mouths submerged beneath the New York, NY 10018 thunder to and fro in the self-congratulation, foreground, doing little of swagger, and bellicosity of To the Editor: any value while stealing the politicians who pretend most of the credit for to be prosperity's source. By saving millions of civilization. Meanwhile, in How wrong. people from starvation, the background, millions green-revolution father upon millions of decent, Norman Borlaug arguably creative people work has done more for diligently at their specialties humanity than has any - welding, waiting tables, other human being of the performing orthopedic past century ("Norman surgery, designing Borlaug, 95, Dies; Led shopping malls, Green Revolution," Sept. researching plant genetics 13). Yet unlike Sen. - each contributing to the Kennedy's, his death will prosperity of the rest. go relatively unnoticed. Some contributions are He'll certainly not be larger than others (as Dr. Borlaug's certainly was) but 12 September 2009 Uncle Sam's tariffs and and B shamelessly collude other trade restraints pick to rob C and exchange the Ms. Jennifer Loven the pockets of plundered proceeds with D Reporter, Associated Press AMERICANS; they in return for D's penalize each and every commitment to help A and Dear Ms. Loven: AMERICAN for having the B retain their seats on this audacity to spend his or exchange. In your report today her money in ways that he published at or she - rather than 11 September 2009 Money.AOL.com under the industry groups and headline "US penalizes politicians - believe his or News Editor, WTOP Radio Chinese tires, infuriating her money is best spent. Washington, DC Beijing" you write about "President Barack Your headline would have Dear Sir or Madam: Obama's decision to been far more accurate impose trade penalties on had it read "US penalizes I forget the name of the Chinese tires." Both the American consumers, guest you interviewed headline and your report pleasing special-interest earlier today who, praising miss what's going on. groups." last-night's speech by President Obama on Tires are not sentient 12 September 2009 health-care, described Mr. creatures; they cannot be Obama as a "courageous penalized. And although Editor, The Wall Street leader." Chinese government Journal officials are displeased with 200 Liberty Street Please contact your guest this protectionist move by New York, NY 10281 and ask her to read the the White House, the editorial in today's ultimate parties who are To the Editor: Washington Post entitled penalized by these higher "Slashing Tires" - and in tariffs are American So the Obama particular its opening lines: consumers. American administration will force "President Obama has consumers choose to buy Americans who buy maintained a conspicuous increasingly large numbers automobile tires from ambiguity about trade of tires from China; the fuel China to pay a 35-percent policy, sympathetically that powers the rise in U.S. surcharge for the privilege absorbing and sometimes market share of Chinese- of doing so ("U.S. to restating the arguments made tires is voluntary Impose Tariff on Chinese both for and against free spending by American Tires," September 12). trade but not really consumers; and so committing himself on any American consumers will No delusions should particular issue." suffer by being forced to remain that the most recent pay a hefty tax simply to do presidential election has The Post describes here a what they've been doing "transformed" politics into man neither courageous now for years. anything grander than what nor leading-the-way but, it has always been: a rather, a standard-issue 'spoils exchange' where A politician - which is to say, a shark as duplicitous as More interesting is Mr. Even overlooking the very he is pompous and as Vota's claim that today's real question of whether or skilled at fraud and flattery unemployment rate is kept not Mr. Obama's vision for as he is hungry for power deceptively low by an health-care 'reform' can and glory. uncommonly large number possibly materialize as he of "discouraged workers" - describes it, I'm baffled by out-of-work persons absent your editorial. How can a 11 September 2009 from unemployment compelling case for statistics because they've something be made unless Editor, The Wall Street stopped looking for work. and until questions about Journal its affordability are 200 Liberty Street The difficulty of counting answered? Would, for New York, NY 10281 their numbers makes example, a case that I empirical claims about make to my wife that I buy To the Editor: such workers iffy. But let's a new Lamborghini - which grant that the number of is certainly a spledid John Vota thinks that discouraged workers is automobile - be today's downturn is worse now at an all-time high. "compelling" if I identify no in comparison with past Contrary to Mr. Vota's obvious way to pay for it? downturns than the data presumption, this fact suggest (Letters, Sept. 11). perhaps speaks WELL of 10 September 2009 One reason is his belief today's economy: the that "The decline in wealthier an economy, the Editor, USA Today industrial production is less easier it is for someone to because the U.S. now survive without earning an Dear Editor: manufactures substantially income and, hence, the fewer goods than it did in more picky each of us can Joseph Daly repeats the the past." Untrue. Total be about the job we take - common account of the manufacturing output in the picky even to the point of Beatles break up: "that U.S. hit an all-time high in dropping out of the band blew up because of 2007 (the latest full year for workforce altogether. egos and greed" (Letters, which data are available). September 10). In [These data are available 10 September 2009 yesterday's Times (of in table B-51 at London) Online, however, http://www.gpoaccess.gov/ Editor, Los Angeles Times Daniel Finkelstein offers a eop/tables09.html#erp3 very different account. and do note that these data Dear Editor: Relying on a book by long- are adjusted for inflation: time Beatles' friend Tony http://www.schwab.com/pu You write that "President Bramwell, Finkelstein blic/schwab/research_strat Obama made a compelling writes that the greed most egies/market_insight/1/4/sc case for reform. How it'll responsible for the Beatles' hwab_guide_to_economic_ be paid for, though, is break up was that of Her indicators_industrial_produ another matter" ("Dollars Majesty's government. As ction_and_capacity_utilizati and sense," Sept. 10). Finkelstein says about the on.html ] break-up: "Bramwell blames Harold Wilson, the Prime Minister, directly. In a free society, not even 'There were enough new the loftiest office should Prior to ratification of the regulations and red tape to command respect 17th amendment, to tie up free enterprise for "regardless of who achieve their goals interest years … One minute occupies it." And the groups had to persuade Swinging London was like notion that the U.S. BOTH the representatives a giant theme park, the Presidency is lofty or of the populace (in the envy of the world, then respectable in any ethically House) and the they - Wilson and his gang significant sense is representatives of state - closed it down.'" ludicrous. As Saul Bellow governments (in the [http://www.timesonline.co. said about politicians, Senate). Members of this uk/tol/comment/columnists/ "they're a bunch of yo-yos. latter group were eager to daniel_finkelstein/article68 The presidency is now a maintain their own power 26591.ece#cid=OTC- cross between a popularity rather than cede it to RSS&attr=2270657 ] contest and a high school Washington. The high cost debate, with an of persuading these two No doubt other factors encyclopedia of cliches the diverse groups to support played a role. But first prize.” any piece of interest-group Finkelstein's and [http://thinkexist.com/quotat legislation kept such Bramwell's account is well ion/take_our_politicians- legislation to a minimum. supported by the lyrics of they-re_a_bunch_of_yo- Now, however, because George Harrison's great yos/219240.html ] members of the House and anti-tax song "Taxman." members of the Senate are 9 September 2009 elected from the same pool 9 September 2009 of voters, interest-groups' Editor, The Wall Street costs of lobbying Congress Editor, The Boston Globe Journal for special privileges are 200 Liberty Street greatly reduced. The result Dear Editor: New York, NY 10281 is the explosion of special- interest dominance over I'm both deeply saddened To the Editor: politics that we've seen and deeply disturbed to over the past 100 years. read the letter in your Chris Daly correctly argues pages today from Jane that the 17th amendment - Powers who, writing about which provides for direct Pres. Obama's speech to election of U.S. senators - schoolchildren, declared is unwise (Letters, Sept.
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