Monday, February 24, 2020

Grumpy Podcast



We're trying a Grumpy Economist Podcast. The first one talks about my series on wealth inequality and wealth tax. I can't stand listening to myself, as think I always sound dumb and regret all the things I could have said better, so I haven't listened. But I hope it sounds better to the rest of you and provides a useful new grumpy outlet. Thanks to Scott Immergut and Troy Senik who do all the work. 

10 comments:

  1. Well, I listened to it all. You should keep doing it. You sound far from dumb.

    Maybe as a follow-up: the role of NIMBY's and zoning laws. It would seem that buying property in a particular area affords a voice in future property development, perhaps?

    I also liked how you addressed that billionaires are not all fundamentally evil people and far from it. It certainly speaks to the issue of what wealth could and should be used for.

    Best,
    M

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  2. What a ridiculous exercise in straw-man arguing! You should market this on Fox News, that's where it belongs. Let's apply Warren's 2% wealth tax proposal (3% on wealth over $1 billion) to a billionaire with $10 billion in net worth and 6% market return. How many years until this person is no longer a billionaire? 10 years? 20 years? 50 years? How about 327,000 years? Never. They will never not be a billionaire. In fact, after 100 years their wealth will have increased 20-times over. The person will only continue to accrue more and more and more wealth. So, when you say that the purpose of the wealth tax is to eliminate billionaires, what you're really doing is lying.

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    Replies
    1. He's reading the statements of its proponents who have themselves stated this objective. Warren, Sanders, AOC, Zucman and Saez.

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  3. Grump: I enjoyed the podcast. I believe you should continue podcasting. Nobody likes the sound of his own voice. --Matt

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  4. Great first episode. Please keep up the great work!

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  5. Great podcast John, please keep it up!

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  6. Troy Senick is doing God's work. Epstein, VDH, now Cochrane... Troy is like the unsung fifth Beatle, what's-his-name.

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