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
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
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Tuesday November 13, 2007 at 6:03pm