22 Oct 2010

Spotlight on Jacob Lovell: The Murphy-Krugman Campaign Breaks $5,000

Economics, Shameless Self-Promotion 10 Comments

Somebody send that boy a toaster! A mere 37 or so hours after launching, the campaign to get Krugman to debate me on business cycle theory has now raised $5,000 in pledges.

For those of you who thought it was a funny idea but didn’t want to take 6 minutes to pledge money that you don’t believe would ever be collected–and I’m not being sarcastic, I understand that’s how many of you probably feel–let me just point out that this becomes more noteworthy, the bigger the pledged amount. We need to give op ed writers an excuse to talk about this.

For example, I’m not going to name any names, but I know there are tons of closet LvMI fans working at Cato and other more “respectable” think tanks. They can’t go out on a limb and start chanting, “Auburn! Auburn!” for no good reason.

But, if there is a ton of money on the line, then all of a sudden it is a legitimate news item of interest. So if you haven’t yet pledged, I ask you to do it for the people in DC.

Two more remarks:

(1) Don’t worry, I will resume blogging about other issues.

(2) This isn’t going to my head. I understand full well that the $5,000 raised in 37 hours is not a reflection of your love for me, but your hatred for Krugman.

10 Responses to “Spotlight on Jacob Lovell: The Murphy-Krugman Campaign Breaks $5,000”

  1. RG says:

    When you pull this off, this is what I propose:

    1. Schedule the event in the largest Princetonian lecture hall

    2. Grow a bushy beard

    3. Carry a podium on your shoulders while trudging knee deep through snow drifts

    4. Run up the nearest mountain and scream KRUGMANNNN! from the top of your lungs

    I’m already getting a lump in my throat thinking about the Princeton crowd turning on Krugman after getting slammed with a sushi analogy.

    Maybe #1 should be crafting a suitable monicker – Irish Assassin?

    • bobmurphy says:

      I am not trying to quash comments or even criticisms, but I am going to “go dark” on this one. Krugman and I are now playing a grand game of chess.

      • RG says:

        Krugman seems more like a checkers guy to me.

  2. David B. says:

    Brilliant Mr. Murphy. Just brilliant! Thank you for doing this as I think you are the best one to handle this kind of debate and thanks to all the other supporters funding this.

  3. zee says:

    “I understand full well that the $5,000 raised in 37 hours is not a reflection of your love for me, but your hatred for Krugman.”

    i’ll donate 5 dollars because of my love for you, and 95 for my hatred of krugman

  4. Gabriel Godinho says:

    I’ve sent messages asking for major free-market youtubers to make vídeos talking about the campaing, i hope they can help. I am publishing it on youtube as much as I can.

    I don’t have international credit card =(

    The only thing i dont like about this is: 1hour only of debate??? It might not be enough I fear.

    Good Luck.

  5. Ben Bernanke says:

    better make that $10,000

  6. crossofcrimson says:

    Congrats on $10,000!

  7. Krugman is Wrong says:

    Bob, good luck with getting Paul to debate you. I am betting he’ll avoid it at ALL costs.

  8. John Chew says:

    In your critiques of Krugman’s articles you have used evidence, reasoning and theory to devastate his arguments. Stop! If Krugman is ridiculed and he teaches at Princeton and I graduated from Princeton, therefore, my degree is being devalued.

    Don’t you owe me some form of compensation?