Bob Murphy

Author Archive

Yet Another Podcast Twin Spin

==> In Episode 78 of Contra Krugman, we talk about Krugman railing against the anti-reality Republicans. I am swamped with work so I have to be brief in my outline: 6:00 I remind people that it was progressive Democrats who started using the phrase “fake news” as a political weapon. 8:25 Tom explains that he […]

“The God of the Old Testament”

I think a lot of people–including me when I was younger–think that there are two separate Gods in the Christian Bible. First there’s the mean vindictive God of the Old Testament, and then there’s the nice guy Jesus in the New Testament. However, you do see all of Jesus’ character traits in the “God of […]

A Huge Problem (?) in Martin Feldstein Et Al.’s Argument for Border Adjustment Tax

It’s not all karaoke and Krugman bashing around here. Sometimes I roll up my sleeves and do straight econ… Some of the rank-and-file Republicans pushing the border adjustment tax (BAT) are doing so on explicitly protectionist grounds. (If you don’t know, the BAT would tax imports at 20% and exempt exports, implicitly subsidizing them 20%.) […]

On Trade Deficits: Murphy vs. The World, Part 2 of 3

In a previous post, I objected to Mark Perry’s own post about the U.S. trade deficit. The title of Perry’s post captures his point: “US has a net inflow of goods and a net inflow of capital. Team Trump wants the opposite?” I pointed out that if a populist in Japan tried to impose schemes to […]

Murphy Podcast Twin Spin

==> I don’t have time to outline it, but here’s Episode 77 of Contra Krugman. ==> I was on the Johnny Rocket Launchpad. Hilarity ensued.

More on the Tax on “Cadillac” Health Insurance Plans

In response to my earlier post on Scott Sumner and Steve Landsburg, David R. Henderson sent me two of his own posts (I and II) on the 40% surtax on so-called Cadillac employer-provided health plans. I think I’m generally in agreement with everything David wrote, but I suspect he is still more favorable to the […]

On Trade Deficits: Murphy vs. the World, Part 1 of 3

I disagree strongly with the rhetoric and substance of Donald Trump and his top advisors when it comes to trade deficits. For example, Peter Navarro’s recent WSJ op ed (which relied on the accounting tautology Y = C+I+G+Nx) could just as well “prove” that increased government expenditures are the way to boost real GDP and create […]

The Tabernacle of Exodus

In my Bible study we just got finished with the book of Exodus. I didn’t realize until reading the commentary on the last chapter that the book wraps up only one year after they left Egypt. Another thing: When I was younger, I misunderstood all the references to “the tabernacle.” Being raised Catholic, I thought […]