September 29, 2010

Was Keynes Right?

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Tyler Cowen on problems with the theory underlying contemporary Keynesian economics:

Aggregate demand macroeconomics works in many cases and it almost always “works” (predicts well) when the macro forces are pointed toward destructive ends. We are not sure why it works at all, or if it always works, and yet we see a great fervor of belief in it and a demonization of those who are skeptics.

Am I misunderstanding this? Right now macro forces are indeed pointed toward destructive ends, aren’t they? So if AD macro almost always works in those cases, doesn’t a great fervor of belief in it make sense even if we’re not 100% sure why it works?

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DECEMBER IS MAKE OR BREAK

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With only days left until December 31, we've raised about half of our $400,000 goal—but we need a huge surge in reader support to close the remaining gap. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

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