Here.
Megan McArdle described this as “the year’s best blog post” – I would hardly go that far (even in such a young year), or even agree with all of it, necessarily. But Cowen has some fine points worth pondering.
6 thoughts on “Well Said By Tyler Cowen”
Comments are closed.
We would be raising taxes and lowering medical innovation to give poor people a good deal more financial security and a slight bit more health; that is the relevant trade-off
There are those of us, of course, who feel that this relevant trade-off is worth making.
“or even agree with all of it, necessarily”
Are you referring to the phrase “despite its many flaws” in point 4?
If not, you’d get tossed from the GOP in a NY second.
Mike, you are welcome to advocate that trade-off, too. But I suspect you know that won’t sell and that’s why it’s not being sold that way. Which I think was Cowen’t point.
Robert, I think if one agrees with point 4 in any fashion they would have to keep quiet about it or be tossed from the Democrats. Check out how many lefties on Cowen’s blog just cannot swallow that one.
Sponge – You are correct re Health care.
As to number 4, however, I think for the first time in our history, that’s become a debatable point the last five or six years. Of course we’ve been a force for liberty during the 20th Century — even acknowledging crap like the Spanish-American War, our suppression of the Philippine Uprising, the Vietnam adventure, our tacit support for every tinpot, medal-wearing generalissimo in Latin America.
But even if one argues over the last 5 or 6 years that China, or Indonesia, or Iran are worse than we in this regard, what are we doing by act or example to foment the spread of liberty in the world?
No matter who becomes our next Prez, this’ll improve. But under W it’s been a very rough stretch for America in this regard. If comment number 4 is true — and it probably is — that’s due to momentum, not any active choice so far this decade.
Mike, I understand that’s the prevailing sentiment these days. I don’t happen to see it that way and don’t expect to convert anybody at this late date.
I agree with his # 11, but question whether AIDS is such a good example. It’s not the same kind of pandemic as the Spanish Flu, and that’s why we “sleepwalked” through it.