Slogan/motto:
Never be haughty to the humble; never be humble to the haughty.
Reputation:
June 9th, 2010, 01:49 PM
Quote:
Surely an acknowledgement of the fact that some foreign workers may have been exploited would be met by a similar acknowledgement that many aren't. In which case, the only honest answer would be one of ambiguity. Since only the stronger of the possible answers was considered, I don't think your objection weighs heavily in the final results.
But let's suppose it did. It's still only one question out of a number of them. Most of which bore more distinctly correct and incorrect answers.
And there's also that "minimum wage increases unemployment" foolishness, which is contradicted by real world data.
It seems that the guys who put this together were counting on conservatives being dumber than most people.
Slogan/motto:
Is evil something you are or something you do? -- Morrissey
Reputation:
June 9th, 2010, 01:51 PM
The questions in the poll are hilariously ambiguous and don't reflect any basic economics, but rather market evangelism.
Thinking persons would of course read them in a larger economic context (i.e., give the right answer), which the pollster, using rightwing economic theory marked as wrong.
Slogan/motto:
Is evil something you are or something you do? -- Morrissey
Reputation:
June 9th, 2010, 01:53 PM
Case in point:
Consider one of the economic propositions in the December 2008 poll: "Restrictions on housing development make housing less affordable." People were asked if they: 1) strongly agree; 2) somewhat agree; 3) somewhat disagree; 4) strongly disagree; 5) are not sure.
Restrictions on housing developments can make housing more affordable if investments are going into higher end houses (which they tend to do), with the restrictions resulting in more investment in apartment building or restored housing, with the result of more affordable housing.
Now conservatives, not understanding basic economics can't think ahead like this. But progressives, who tend to be higher educated and tend to actually start and run businesses, can.
Slogan/motto:
Is evil something you are or something you do? -- Morrissey
Reputation:
June 9th, 2010, 01:57 PM
And the next one:
1) Mandatory licensing of professional services increases the prices of those services.
For those with some economic background (i.e, those who aren't conservative), this falls under the Coase theorum relating to cost benefit analysis.
The issue is does regulation increase efficiency or decrease it. It is somewhat context dependent, but in fact, in profession, licensing reduces prices because it prevents incompetent practicioners from entering the field, causing damages, which the involve lawsuits.
An economic sophisticated person is well aware of the research in this field, and indeed, most industries prefer licensing because it reduces transaction costs.
So the left got this one right, and the conservatives bombed.
Slogan/motto:
Is evil something you are or something you do? -- Morrissey
Reputation:
June 9th, 2010, 02:04 PM
Quote:
Minimum Wage laws raise unemployment
"
Another ambiguous question in the poll.
In fact the famous Card-Krueger study showed that it does not, at least not in the aggregate. Rather, it increases unemployment among younger workers, and increases it among older workers, which can be a good thing since older workers tend to be supporting families.
Now, most economically savvy people (progressives) no about the Card study. Conservatives of course don't, so they fail the test.
Slogan/motto:
The buck doesn't even slow down here.
Reputation:
June 9th, 2010, 02:10 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Town Heretic
If we grasp enough of them you can make another of these threads.
Correlation does not establish causation.
So if I note that racists are almost entirely conservative and almost never liberal...
...you'd probably be right.
And then if you could find some way to establish that somewhere on the order of 67% of a representative sample of conservatives tend towards racism you might even have a point.
Slogan/motto:
The buck doesn't even slow down here.
Reputation:
June 9th, 2010, 02:16 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by gamera
Man, assurance has made this too easy.
Hey, assurance -- I bet you think a flat tax would lower taxes on people, right?
Well, I'm faily certain it would on some people, though that would depend on the rate. Overall, though, I'm no flat tax fan. I'm more of an 'abolish income tax' kinda guy...
Slogan/motto:
Is evil something you are or something you do? -- Morrissey
Reputation:
June 9th, 2010, 02:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by assuranceagent
Well, I'm faily certain it would on some people, though that would depend on the rate. Overall, though, I'm no flat tax fan. I'm more of an 'abolish income tax' kinda guy...
So you're even MORE economically ignorant than I thought. Thanks.
Slogan/motto:
Is evil something you are or something you do? -- Morrissey
Reputation:
June 9th, 2010, 02:21 PM
Quote:
Rent control
leads to
housing
shortages.
Another gem in the category of traffic lights cause traffic.
Rent control is generally imposed in areas with housing shortages because prices skyrocket and the people there legislate the controls.
There is no case where rent control has been imposed in an area that didn't already have a housing shortage, so the rent control didn't cause the shortage, it responded to it.
Again, most progressives know this, being savvy economically. Assurance and the conservative tools don't get it. They think traffic lights cause traffic.
Slogan/motto:
The buck doesn't even slow down here.
Reputation:
June 9th, 2010, 02:21 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Barbarian
And there's also that "minimum wage increases unemployment" foolishness, which is contradicted by real world data.
It seems that the guys who put this together were counting on conservatives being dumber than most people.
Actually, Barb, that's a pretty basic aspect of mainstream economic theory.
It's put like this in the text, "Economics: Private and Public Choice" (pg 559):
Quote:
"If a higher minimum wage increases the wage rates of unskilled workers above the level that would be established by market forces, the quantity of unskilled workers employed will fall. The minimum wage will price the services of the least productive (and therefore lowest-wage) workers out of the market. ... The direct results of minimum wage legislation are clearly mixed. Some workers, most likely those whose previous wages were closest to the minimum, will enjoy higher wages. Others, particularly those with the lowest prelegislation wage rates, will be unable to find work. They will be pushed into the ranks of the unemployed or out of the labor force."
Of course, that's the 'textbook model' and everyone knows what's in textbooks doesn't always mirror the real world, but that doesn't change the fact that it IS accepted economic theory.
And then if you could find some way to establish that somewhere on the order of 67% of a representative sample of conservatives tend towards racism you might even have a point.
Well...at least it was the funny thing.
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