Paul Krugman visits Japan
May 25, 2009
By Ken Worsley
As reported earlier today by Japan Probe, Paul Krugman recently visited Tokyo and offered an evaluation of some of the economic stimulus attempts the Japanese government has made thus far. Krugman gave the lowering of expressway fees to a flat 1,000 yen a score of 40 out of 100, due to the fact that such a measure might increase traffic jams and the sales of gasoline. Krugman scored the 12,000 yen rebate program a 0 out of 100, and reserved judgement on the government’s new program to offer “eco points” to consumers who make purchases of “green” products.
Of course it’s better for people to buy more environmentally friendly products when there is a reasonably priced alternative. However, should the government be in the business of rewarding people for being “good” consumers? And, to be really cynical, why is the government subsidizing the urban snob lifestyle? (The sarcasm might be a bit thick there.)
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The answer to your question is “because this is democracy: the group with the strongest influence gets what it wants”. An even better question (and another one that no-one seems to be asking) is “why is the government subsidizing ANYTHING, other than defence and police?”
Krugman fuses politics with his economics and I find him to be, mostly, a mouthpiece for the “progressive” movement. He reserved judgment on the eco points? He just couldn’t bring himself to give it a zero, which he would have if he could divorce his economics from his politics.
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