Seen and Unseen
31 March 2007
The Editor, New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
To the Editor:
Union leader Leo Gerard applauds higher tariffs on paper produced in China as being good for "thousands of paper workers throughout the United States" ("In Major Shift, U.S. Imposes Tariffs on Some Chinese Paper," March 31). He's correct. But why ignore the fate of other American workers?
These tariffs force American consumers to pay more for paper. One result is that consumers have less money to spend on other goods and services. Workers in these other industries suffer.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
The Benefits of Subprime Mortgages
30 March 2007
The Editor, New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
To the Editor:
Austan Goolsbee eloquently explains the benefits of subprime mortgages - benefits overwhelmingly enjoyed by poorer people ("'Irresponsible' Mortgages Have Opened Doors to Many of the Excluded," March 29). He might have mentioned also another benefit, one unique to New York City and other jurisdictions with rent-control. By making owner-occupied housing more affordable, such mortgages better enable poorer households to escape rent-control's ill-consequences, such as a chronic shortage of apartments and shoddy maintenance of those units that are available.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Permission??
29 March 2007
News Editor, WTOP Radio
Dear Editor:
The listener who asserts that rising tensions with Iran "are no reason" to "permit" oil companies to raise gasoline prices is misguided (March 29). First, in a free society businesses need no official permission to raise prices. Second, tensions with Iran in fact make future oil supplies less certain - meaning, oil becomes more precious. That's the unfortunate reality. Higher gasoline prices not only reflect this reality, they also prompt drivers to conserve gasoline more assiduously.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Blinders On
28 March 2007
Editor, The Wall Street Journal
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
To the Editor:
Behavioral economics - a subject that Alan Blinder knows something about - teaches that people often read too much into the dominant facts currently before their eyes. In fearing recent technological innovations that makes "outsourcing" more likely, Mr. Blinder himself seems to have fallen victim to this psychological malady ("Pain From Free Trade Spurs Second Thoughts," March 28).
Do today's technological advances put more pressure on American workers than did the arrival of electrification, automobiles, aviation, container shipping, and the microchip? Is today's increased competition from foreign workers really that different from the massive post-WWII entry of women into the workforce? Unlikely.
Mr. Blinder should chill out.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
No Reader Left Behind
27 March 2007
The Editor, The Baltimore Sun
To the Editor:
You applaud that part of the No Child Left Behind Act that gives Washington the authority to set national education standards ("A flawed 'fix,'" March 27).
Your sanguine assessment of the abilities and motives of federal officials is surprising. How would you feel about a "No Reader Left Behind Act"? Such an act would set national standards for newspaper reporting and editorializing. Individual citizens surely are powerless in the face of giant media corporations such as your parent, the Tribune Co. To ensure quality reporting and opinion-making, the No Reader Left Behind Act would require Uncle Sam to set national standards to guide the news media.
Do you think that such an Act would improve Americans' access to news?
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Marching Saints?
26 March 2007
The Editor, The New Orleans Times-Picayune
Dear Editor:
As a life-long fan of the New Orleans Saints, I would be saddened if the team relocated out of Louisiana ("Deal buys time in Saints negotiations," March 26). But surely Gov. Blanco and the state legislature have no business taxing ordinary citizens in order to bribe the Saints' billionaire owner to keep the franchise in New Orleans. And surely Louisianans who've endured Katrina, Rita, and FEMA are sturdy enough to suffer the loss of a football team.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
