ATAR Notes: Forum
General Discussion => General Discussion Boards => News and Politics => Topic started by: brendan on January 05, 2008, 11:44:19 am
-
http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/2006/11/consensus-of-economists.html
Robert Whaples surveys PhD members of the American Economic Association and finds substantial agreement on a wide range of policy issues. For example:
* 87.5 percent agree that "the U.S. should eliminate remaining tariffs and other barriers to trade."
* 85.2 percent agree that "the U.S. should eliminate agricultural subsidies."
* 85.3 percent agree that "the gap between Social Security funds and expenditures will become unsustainably large within the next fifty years if current policies remain unchanged."
* 77.2 percent agree that "the best way to deal with Social Security's long-term funding gap is to increase the normal retirement age."
* 67.1 percent agree that "parents should be given educational vouchers which can be used at government-run or privately-run schools."
* 65.0 percent agree that "the U.S. should increase energy taxes."
And, finally, the topic that generates the most consensus:
* 90.1 percent disagree with the position that "the U.S. should restrict employers from outsourcing work to foreign countries."
One issue that fails to generate consensus is the minimum wage: 37.7 percent want it increased, while 46.8 percent want it eliminated.
-
Isn't it ironic that the same people who will tell you that clairvoyants are bullshit artists will listen to Economists with baited breath? :)
-
Not really. Economists think with logic and clairvoyants do not.
-
I don't know, the Barnum Effect is pretty logical.
-
I don't know, the Barnum Effect is pretty logical.
That is concerning why astrology seems to be accepted, rather than actually showing a logical foundation for astrology. I'm not sure if you were being satirical.
-
I was being satirical :P