This morning on MSNBC, Joe, Mika, Pat, and Willie were denouncing foreign cars and bemoaning the news that Chrysler was closing all its auto plants for a month. But what are the alternatives? Keep producing rattletraps that no one wants to buy at current prices, or be subsidized to do so. Either the firm is wasting what little money it has left, or it is wasting other people’s money coercively obtained. Neither is a good thing at any time, let alone in a depression. By the way, I have the answer to the Medium Three’s problems: cut prices until the … Continue reading Protectionist Joe

Today on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, the Republican host said the government should simply order, Mafia-style, car manufacturers to make only Prius-like vehicles, because of the alleged urgent need for “energy independence.” Everyone in public life–ecept the heroic Ron Paul–seems to take the neocon line on oil autarky: imports are evil, especially if they come from Muslims who–mirabile dictu–do not appreciate Protestant domination. Needless to say, there is nothing wrong, and everything right, about international trade. There is nothing wrong, and everything right, about Arabs living at non-Gaza standards. Eschew the neocon hatemongers. Energy Fortress Amerika is a bad idea, and … Continue reading Protectionist Joe