Economics

Archive for Economics

It’s On: Murphy-Sumner Debate Begins in January 2013

Holy cow, I totally forgot to announce the news: I proposed to Scott Sumner that instead of a live video debate, instead we have a 3-part exchange. Each month, I will write a 2000 – 2500 word blog post challenging his views on NGDP targeting, to which he will respond with whatever length he desires. […]

Why Dean Baker and Paul Krugman Were Wrong on the Debt Burden for At Least 11 Months

By this point, those of you who have been reading Free Advice should understand exactly what Don Boudreaux and Nick Rowe were saying, when Dean Baker and then Paul Krugman last year first started up the Great Debt Debate. What is still extremely interesting to me personally, is how many economics bloggers have concluded that […]

Debt Burden: Old Murphy vs. Young Murphy

Just to warn you, kids, there are at least another 3 posts in me on this topic. But it’s all new stuff. It’s kind of like every time they came out with a new Matrix: It wasn’t nearly as exciting as the first one you viewed, but you had to keep watching to the bitter […]

A Post on Debt Burdens for Professional Economists

OK I gather that most people are moving on with their lives, so I’d better make this post now on everyone’s favorite question, “Does the government’s debt impose a burden on our grandchildren?” In this post, I want to explain why, as of Friday October 12, and after Nick Rowe went head-to-head against Brad DeLong, […]

Quick Clarification on the Great Debt Debate

My trip to NY has messed me up vis-a-vis my “day job” and so I can’t go nuts on the debt debate the way Nick Rowe is (here, here, here, and here). I hope later in the week to offer two more posts, one for the lay reader, and the other for professional economists. It […]

Admission of Error Is a Rarity in the Geeconosphere

[UPDATE: I swapped out one of the arguments in light of re-reading Glasner and realizing I misunderstood one of his defenses.] Consider the following hypothetical argument: DAVIE: Man, that George Lucas doesn’t have anything to teach us about redemption. If you watch his classic Star Wars movies, he offers a warning about people succumbing to […]

Curb Your Anticipation

Sorry folks, I have to finish grading…I promised my students. With the LibertyFest activities tomorrow (I’m attending, not speaking) I had better knock it out today. In the meantime, let me say the following of my two-front war which will soon open to three: ==> Everyone thinks Steve Landsburg is nuts, but actually his case […]

Harold Hotelling and Steve Landsburg vs Bob Murphy and George W. Bush

It doesn’t look good for me, does it? But give me a chance: During his commentary on the first presidential debate, Steve Landsburg wrote: 6) Romney says “all of the increase in energy has been on private land, not govt land”. Very ignorant. If there were more drilling on govt land, there’d be less on […]