tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7169279.post113812261463938096..comments2023-11-24T03:20:02.361-07:00Comments on Tufte's Economics Classes Blog - A Living Textbook: Woman with a CauseDr. Tuftehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17397586052171706438noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7169279.post-27997597803070588022008-05-06T22:10:00.000-06:002008-05-06T22:10:00.000-06:00It also makes sense that we should have the larges...It also makes sense that we should have the largest deficits (if countries generally have them).Dr. Tuftehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17397586052171706438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7169279.post-80240729389904772042008-03-29T12:08:00.000-06:002008-03-29T12:08:00.000-06:00Dr. Tufte said:"The problem is, there are essentia...Dr. Tufte said:<BR/><BR/>"The problem is, there are essentially zero macroeconomists who think the national debt is a problem. This "problem" is something that tends to concern politicians and the media rather than experts."<BR/><BR/>I always felt that the deficit was a problem. But Dr. Tufte's comments make sense: we are the world's largest operation so it makes sense that we have a large debt.Jordanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06334144632643811762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7169279.post-47028324571172314662007-02-09T16:09:00.000-07:002007-02-09T16:09:00.000-07:00A couple of years ago I was on a tour at the Glen ...A couple of years ago I was on a tour at the Glen Canyon dam and was watching an exhibit that showed every second how much total income the dams in the state of Utah brought in. It would be interesting to see instead of the rate that national debt was increasing but the rate of income that was being brought in each second from taxes and the like. <BR/>At that specific moment the lady donated, Sallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16857469686958284381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7169279.post-1138329030339179862006-01-26T19:30:00.000-07:002006-01-26T19:30:00.000-07:00+1 for BorisHmmm ... maybe people will learn some ...+1 for Boris<BR/><BR/>Hmmm ... maybe people will learn some more economics by going over my comments with a fine-toothed comb.Dr. Tuftehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17397586052171706438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7169279.post-1138322121574824832006-01-26T17:35:00.000-07:002006-01-26T17:35:00.000-07:00Hey, Dr. Tufte, I found a spelling error in your p...Hey, Dr. Tufte, I found a spelling error in your post on the first line. Do I get a bonus point?derekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10453445271019987547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7169279.post-1138300339158657312006-01-26T11:32:00.000-07:002006-01-26T11:32:00.000-07:00There are 2 issues in the comment.The only ways to...There are 2 issues in the comment.<BR/><BR/>The only ways to "pay off" government debt are with taxes of by printing currency (currently we don't use the latter in the U.S.).<BR/><BR/>So, the national debt is a sort of promissory note that will eventually turned into taxes.<BR/><BR/>This is a separate issue from whether the debt is "large" or not. Debts are only large if they exceed the value of Dr. Tuftehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17397586052171706438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7169279.post-1138247561329585262006-01-25T20:52:00.000-07:002006-01-25T20:52:00.000-07:00I wish that I fully understood what Dr. Tufte was ...I wish that I fully understood what Dr. Tufte was saying when he said that reducing the nation's debt reduces the tax liability of future taxpayers. Is it sound business practice to run an operating budget and accrue more and more long-term debt simultaneously? I would venture that no, it is not sound business practice. When I can <A HREF="http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/" REL="nofollow">watch Jerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15621358116141593544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7169279.post-1138127580794491962006-01-24T11:33:00.000-07:002006-01-24T11:33:00.000-07:00-1 on Blake's post for spelling errors.The behavio...-1 on Blake's post for spelling errors.<BR/><BR/>The behavior described is problematic. It clearly shows that this woman thought that the national debt was a problem, and that she should do something about it.<BR/><BR/>The problem is, there are essentially zero macroeconomists who think the national debt is a problem. This "problem" is something that tends to concern politicians and the media Dr. Tuftehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17397586052171706438noreply@blogger.com