Maggie's Farm

Thomas Piketty and Emmanuel Saez are political economists. In other words, they manipluate the data to justify their political views. In this case, Piketty-Saez economics are used to justify the social and economic objectives of French socialistic model.

Conversely, an intellectually honest economist would study the data, draw conclusions that best explain the observations, and strive to develop policy around real world economics.

All utopian economic philosophies ultimately fail because they do properly understand or reflect human nature, including, among other things, the desire to be free, the desire to reap the benefits of one's labor and the desire to love, nurture and protect one's family.

Obama is trying use a moral argument versus an economic argument to justify the redistribution of wealth and services in America.

Of course under Obama's view, government will be at the center and will be the arbiter of who wins and loses. That's very good if you are a government bureaucrat or have the ability to work the system. Productivity is no longer required.

Please tell me how it is morally superior to take economic freedom and self determination (collectively, the freedom to pursue life, liberty and happiness which is fundamental to our Constitution) from the people and place government as the determining factor in the quantity and quality of life.

I hope you know how to duck when you see a sucker punch coming.

I hope Meta, Marianne, Buddy, GMP, AP and all the others come back to the board soon. I enjoy the insightful exchanges.

Remember, there is always the option of not responding to those who get under your skin, may be overly paranoid or may use ad hominem tactics.

I hope it wasn't me.

Indeed, I do know.