Economists Polled About Bush Policies

[crash]

I'd like to point out that I'm finally a "journeyman". I didn't feel right as a "newbie", becasue I've been playing poker and reading this forum for years. I just don't post much.

Dave

[El Barto]

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you said most US economist are liberal, and that is patently false and stupid. In doesn't even matter that they are academic economists, they still know how the economy works, and they realize that the Bush tax cuts are bad.

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You just assert that economists are conservative. Where is your proof?

Economics is a Social Science, not a hard Science, and there are few Social Science disciplines that are dominated by conservatives.

Does anyone honestly believe that "conservatives" would be so overwhelmingly against tax cuts (as in the poll above)? And that 80% believe Kerry is fiscally responsible? Laughable. Nonsense. You sir, are blowing smoke.

[ThaSaltCracka]

Economics is a social science (whatever that means), so there is some logic to it. But remember the concept is not all that old, so economist in fact do not know everything about economic factors yet.

In regards to asking "experts" as though they were the most impartial and intellectual on a topic is dangerous. Take homosexuality for example, if you asked a conservative leaning human sexuality scientist or Physchiatrist, there more likely to tell you people decided to become gay, but a more liberal leaning "expert" is likely to tell you they are born that way.

In the field of econimics though, most are conservative leaning, including those who teach in universities. Ask many of them if you ever take a econ class at a university. They may not agree with what the current republican president is doing, but for the most part they all follow the conservative capitalist philosphy.

[ThaSaltCracka]

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Economics is a Social Science, not a hard Science, and there are few Social Science disciplines that are dominated by conservatives.

[/ QUOTE ] True, but econ is one of them. As for proof, well I doubt I could find a poll in which economists were asked what party they are in.

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Does anyone honestly believe that "conservatives" would be so overwhelmingly against tax cuts (as in the poll above)?

[/ QUOTE ] There is a reason I put Bush in bold letters. My guess is they are against the Bush tax cuts and not tax cuts in general. Nearly all economists agree that lower taxes are good for the economy, so there must be a reason they think the Bush tax cuts aren't good.

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And that 80% believe Kerry is fiscally responsible?

[/ QUOTE ] Explain to me how Kerry is not fiscally responsible? From what I hear he wants to reduce the deficit by rolling back Bush's tax cut for the rich, and cut corporate tax loop holes. Bush hasn't mentioned anything about cutting the deficit, atleast nothing I have heard.

[El Barto]

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but for the most part they all follow the conservative capitalist philosphy.


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This is a gross assumption on your part.

Just as historians (another Social Science) do not uniformly believe in a "western culture" oriented model, and anthropologists (another Social Science) do not all believe in paternalistic social structures, economists are not so united behind capitalism.

You have heard of Communism (an economic theory), you have heard of Socialism (an economic theory), you have heard of Keynesian economics (a liberal economic theory), these all have many more adherants than you may assume. The Economics field, especially academics, is awash in these types of economists.

The Economist Magazine (which produced the poll above) is a liberal economic and social policy based magazine. The poll results fit nicely into their philosophy of economics, and it is not a conservative model.

[ThaSaltCracka]

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Just as historians (another Social Science) do not uniformly believe in a "western culture" oriented model, and anthropologists (another Social Science) do not all believe in paternalistic social structures, economists are not so united behind capitalism.


[/ QUOTE ] I agree with you, but the majority of American economists do, and why is that? Because they live in [censored] America where Capitalism is a central part of the economy.

Of course there are a few wackos who believe in a form of communism, and of course those people are very left leaning, but they are the minority, and you know that.

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The Economist Magazine (which produced the poll above) is a liberal economic and social policy based magazine. The poll results fit nicely into their philosophy of economics, and it is not a conservative model.

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You may want to click this link before you make assumptions such as that. The Economist is a conservative magazine.

[El Barto]

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You may want to click this link before you make assumptions such as that. The Economist is a conservative magazine.

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The site you linked sells magazines, including liberal zines like BusinessWeek, American Heritage, and the Economist. What is called conservative in London (the home base of The Economist) is often liberal by American standards. Plus, I don't think the Brits here would define the Economist as conservative. What say you Brits?

If you think academics in America are generally supportive of common American ideals, you would be often wrong. The Chomskys of the academic community are widespread in all disciplines, including economics.

[ThaSaltCracka]

are you dense? The link is the conservative bookstore which sells many other conservative magazines and books.

On the main page of the website they have their pick of the month. The title of that book is:

Thank You, President Bush: Reflections on the War on Terror, Defense of the Family, and Revival of the Economy, edited by Aman Verjee and Rod D. Martin. The contributors to this volume by scholars, activists and public servants is a "Who is Who" of the conservative movement. It includes Dick Cheney, Phyllis Schlafly, Stephen Moore (of the Club for Growth), Grover Norquist, John Ashcroft, Bill Bennett and many more. Each essay is an exposition on a Bush Policy and reveals what it has done to make America and the World and better place. Topics fall under Presidential Character, Foreign Policy, Economic Policy, Social Policy and The Rule of Law. A thorough reading of this book reveals why George W. Bush is one of the best Presidents of the current age and why he deserves to serve two terms in that office. For a thorough understanding of current events and how Presidential power can effect them there is no better work than this compendium.

[sam h]

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You have heard of Communism (an economic theory), you have heard of Socialism (an economic theory), you have heard of Keynesian economics (a liberal economic theory), these all have many more adherants than you may assume. The Economics field, especially academics, is awash in these types of economists.

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You are seriously out of touch. Aside from a few radical departments very, very few people in the discipline are supportive of communist or socialist ideas.

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The Economist Magazine (which produced the poll above) is a liberal economic and social policy based magazine. The poll results fit nicely into their philosophy of economics, and it is not a conservative model.

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Again, you clearly don't know what you're talking about. The Economist may be "liberal" in that they are big supporters of liberal economic policies such as free trade. But they are not liberal in the political sense, as evinced by the fact that they keep endorsing Republican candidates.

[ThaSaltCracka]

Thank you for saying essentially what I have been saying! The mere idea that there are millions of economists running around America trying to subvert the masses to communism and socialism is completely laughable to me.