Well, while the always stimulating Times and Seasons is having technical difficulties, it seems as though they are recommending people come here to post comments. We're happy to do our part for the site that put the fire in our bellies to have our own in its hour of need. So if it helps, this will be the designated place for comments about Russell and Prez Bush, and this will do for comments on guilt.
Posted by Logan on January 29, 2004 06:51 PMI'll even start. You know, I'm one of those lower-right libertarian types Russell mentions that would call him an "authoritarian." But I've always wanted the chance to say that I think he's one of the most thoughtful and well-reasoned authoritarians (I don't mean to use a term you don't like - do you prefer "communitarian"?) I've ever met (at least in the Blogoshpere), and I hope our diametrically opposed views don't mean we can't be friends.
Now that the mushy stuff is out of the way. . . I think it's kind of amusing that Russell is considering it, because maybe he can replace my vote. Being very libertarian, I've been thinking that that's the direction Bush has been heading for a long time, and I'm becoming less and less enchanted with him myself.
Posted by: Logan at 07:04 PM on January 29, 2004Oh, one more thing. I agree with Russell that Dick Gephart is a good man. Here's a short article I enjoyed reading about him in The Economist.
Posted by: Logan at 07:16 PM on January 29, 2004My analysis of Bush: My student loans currently carry a VERY low interest rate, but it is variable. If I consilidate them, I will pay a slightly higher interest rate, but it will be locked in. I am in the process of consolidating the loans. I think Bush's deficits will start driving up interest rates.
Posted by: Nate Oman at 10:28 AM on January 30, 2004I think you're right, Nate. We have avoided high interest rates to this point, but I doubt we can much longer. These deficits don't seem to be a measured Keynesian stimulus, if that's the model he's following, and if he's counting on a supply-side effect to his tax cuts, he's jumping the gun on spending before the revenue would even theoretically come in. His fiscal policy seems to be based more on politics than economics (not that he's necessarily unique in that). I'd feel better with his following a model I thought had flaws than with his current approach of seeming economic ignorance.
All fiscal policy is based more on politics than economics.
All.
Posted by: Nate at 11:37 AM on January 30, 2004