Scott Sumner

Archive for Scott Sumner

Potpourri

==> The WSJ and I are pen pals. ==> Next week on Friday (September 27) I’ll be giving a talk at San Jose State on interventionism in the Austrian tradition. (I’m in California because on Saturday I’m giving the keynote address for a celebration of Mises’ birthday. I still haven’t gotten his present, gah!!) ==> […]

More Shifting Sumner Statements

For casual readers, I should probably clarify: Unlike certain Keynesian economists, I actually spend most of my time online reading the blogs of people with whom I disagree. For example, I probably would agree with just about everything posted at The Circle Bastiat, but that’s why you won’t see me commenting much on it. Rather, […]

How Can We Be Sure Scott Sumner Opposes the Gold Standard?

Am I the only one who finds this hilarious? Check out the opening lines from a recent Sumner post: What would Milton Friedman have thought of market monetarism? I am working on an article with the preceding title. I have some ideas, but am also looking for help on a few points. I’ve come up […]

Yet More Sumner Sleight-of-Hand

Here’s a good one. Recently John Quiggin updated a post in response to objections from Market Monetarists, because he had said (initially) that nominal interest rates were a good indicator of the looseness or tightness of monetary policy. The Market Monetarists said that the standard view was that real interest rates were a better indicator, […]

Yes, There Are Indeed Two Scott Sumners

In a recent post, Scott whimsically wondered whether there were two of himself. But actually, there are, in the sense that he will hammer home a particular perspective, then apparently violate it himself. One example is that he constantly says that interest rates are a poor indicator of the stance of monetary policy, yet then […]

Two Sumner Posts That I Thoroughly Enjoyed

In this post, Scott hits something that I have been pointing out myself: So let’s review the past year: 1. Keynesians warned us that it would be a huge mistake to adopt fiscal austerity in America. It would cut growth sharply. Mark Sadowski has the details. 2. The “Laffer wing” of the Keynesian movement predicts […]

Potpourri

==> Don Boudreaux has a good discussion of the claim that Hayek is a liquidationist–not that there’s anything wrong with that. (HT2 von Pepe) ==> Pete Boettke is puzzled that the Austrians seem to be almost alone in thinking “micro” relationships are crucial to understanding macro disturbances. Me too. ==> John Carney sent me his […]

After Further Review, Yes, Krugman Is Indeed a Big Meanie

Paul Krugman lately has been seemingly intentionally going out of his way to provoke free-market economists, first by saying Milton Friedman will some day be merely “an extended footnote” in the history of economic thought, and then by saying of Friedrich Hayek: “…back in the 30s nobody except Hayek would have considered his views a […]