What economists agree on

[brendan]

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.

[enwiabe]

Isn't it ironic that the same people who will tell you that clairvoyants are bullshit artists will listen to Economists with baited breath?

[Collin Li]

Not really. Economists think with logic and clairvoyants do not.

[Eriny]

I don't know, the Barnum Effect is pretty logical.

[Collin Li]

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.

[Eriny]

I was being satirical