The Mythology of Thomas Sowell

[Caribbean Hen]

This why we need teachers.

ziinnnnnng!

He means indoctrinator

“In many colleges and universities, whole academic departments are devoted to particular prepackaged conclusions—whether on race, the environment or other subjects, under such names as black, women’s or environmental ‘studies.’ Few, if any, of these ‘studies’ include conflicting visions and conflicting evidence, as educational rather than ideological criteria might require.“

[kalm]

Sowell should be beamed up in every high school and college in the United States of America!!!

A true national treasure

“The vision of the Left — and I think many conservatives underestimate this — is really a more attractive vision. The only reason for not believing in it is that it doesn’t work.”

Still trying to defend Sowell and his vacuous hate-onomics, I see. The left brought us out of the Great Depression, oversaw the longest period of market stability (thanks Glass-Stegall), and rise of strongest middle class the world has ever seen.

How about starting with the classics like Adam Smith and John Locke and work up to more modern thinkers like John Kenneth Galbraith?

[GannonFan]

Sowell should be beamed up in every high school and college in the United States of America!!!

A true national treasure

“The vision of the Left — and I think many conservatives underestimate this — is really a more attractive vision. The only reason for not believing in it is that it doesn’t work.”

Still trying to defend Sowell and his vacuous hate-onomics, I see. The left brought us out of the Great Depression, oversaw the longest period of market stability (thanks Glass-Stegall), and rise of strongest middle class the world has ever seen.

How about starting with the classics like Adam Smith and John Locke and work up to more modern thinkers like John Kenneth Galbraith?

I really don't know anything about Thomas Sowell nor the tit-for-tat back and forth you're having with Carib, but did you honestly just credit one side of the political spectrum with the bold above? Come on, I know we've talked about the poor outcomes of historical education in this country, but surely you haven't been taught that and/or believe that? We got out of the Great Depression thanks to a massive world war and the utter destruction of most of the rest of the industrialized world, other than ourselves. I mean, heck, you could make a better case that Hitler got us out of the Great Depression, in a weird and morbid sort of way. Heck, we had a pretty disastrous recession during the Great Depression that was a direct result of a lot of the New Deal structures put in place.

As for market stability and Glass-Stegall's contribution to that, how do you explain the 11 different recessions this country had from the time of the Great Depression to the time of basically the eradication of Glass-Stegall? How is that stability as you mention? That's like one recession every 5-8 years. I agree that without Glass-Stegall that we're operating without a safety net, but we're not any more unstable now market-wise than we were before its demise.

And as for the middle class and the strength of it, again, not really sure what either side of the political spectrum has to singularly do with that - it's more an outcome of a good, decently-regulated capitalistic economy, mixed with a well-educated and growing population, to both innovate/invent as well as to work in it, that has been the driver for our increase in standard of living. Both sides of the political spectrum contribute and inhibit that working in various ways.

But anyway, don't let me get in the way of your squabble with the denizens of this board, just interjecting to correct the historical inaccuracies.

[kalm]

Still trying to defend Sowell and his vacuous hate-onomics, I see. The left brought us out of the Great Depression, oversaw the longest period of market stability (thanks Glass-Stegall), and rise of strongest middle class the world has ever seen.

How about starting with the classics like Adam Smith and John Locke and work up to more modern thinkers like John Kenneth Galbraith?

I really don't know anything about Thomas Sowell nor the tit-for-tat back and forth you're having with Carib, but did you honestly just credit one side of the political spectrum with the bold above? Come on, I know we've talked about the poor outcomes of historical education in this country, but surely you haven't been taught that and/or believe that? We got out of the Great Depression thanks to a massive world war and the utter destruction of most of the rest of the industrialized world, other than ourselves. I mean, heck, you could make a better case that Hitler got us out of the Great Depression, in a weird and morbid sort of way. Heck, we had a pretty disastrous recession during the Great Depression that was a direct result of a lot of the New Deal structures put in place.

As for market stability and Glass-Stegall's contribution to that, how do you explain the 11 different recessions this country had from the time of the Great Depression to the time of basically the eradication of Glass-Stegall? How is that stability as you mention? That's like one recession every 5-8 years. I agree that without Glass-Stegall that we're operating without a safety net, but we're not any more unstable now market-wise than we were before its demise.

And as for the middle class and the strength of it, again, not really sure what either side of the political spectrum has to singularly do with that - it's more an outcome of a good, decently-regulated capitalistic economy, mixed with a well-educated and growing population, to both innovate/invent as well as to work in it, that has been the driver for our increase in standard of living. Both sides of the political spectrum contribute and inhibit that working in various ways.

But anyway, don't let me get in the way of your squabble with the denizens of this board, just interjecting to correct the historical inaccuracies.

Yes…knowing full well you would write another lengthy screed about WWII blah blah blah. I’ve already countered your neo-liberal, laissez faire talking points numerous times. I stand by what I wrote and can back it up … again…but why?

I’ve even credited you for when you make a fair point.

You’ll never gracefully admit when you’re wrong and increase your use of ROFL emojis instead and that’s ok. Remember…Econ is a soft science.

Rather than write a book, have you thought of trying “I simply don’t agree” and leave it at that?

Edit: I did go back and read. I agree with much of your 2nd to last paragraph.

[Caribbean Hen]

GF

Thomas Sowell was a Marxist when he was young but came of age and educated himself and was man enough to admit he had it all wrong. He’s brilliant but unfortunately you will never see him on TV because he’s blunt about telling the truth

Grew up in Harlem

Has written several books

A professor of economics

Had a tryout with the Dodgers, The Brooklyn Dodgers … didn’t get signed but 42 did

Of course Kalm hates him because because he was able to break free from the modern Democratic urban plantation and destroys every leftist narrative

[Caribbean Hen]

I really don't know anything about Thomas Sowell nor the tit-for-tat back and forth you're having with Carib, but did you honestly just credit one side of the political spectrum with the bold above? Come on, I know we've talked about the poor outcomes of historical education in this country, but surely you haven't been taught that and/or believe that? We got out of the Great Depression thanks to a massive world war and the utter destruction of most of the rest of the industrialized world, other than ourselves. I mean, heck, you could make a better case that Hitler got us out of the Great Depression, in a weird and morbid sort of way. Heck, we had a pretty disastrous recession during the Great Depression that was a direct result of a lot of the New Deal structures put in place.

As for market stability and Glass-Stegall's contribution to that, how do you explain the 11 different recessions this country had from the time of the Great Depression to the time of basically the eradication of Glass-Stegall? How is that stability as you mention? That's like one recession every 5-8 years. I agree that without Glass-Stegall that we're operating without a safety net, but we're not any more unstable now market-wise than we were before its demise.

And as for the middle class and the strength of it, again, not really sure what either side of the political spectrum has to singularly do with that - it's more an outcome of a good, decently-regulated capitalistic economy, mixed with a well-educated and growing population, to both innovate/invent as well as to work in it, that has been the driver for our increase in standard of living. Both sides of the political spectrum contribute and inhibit that working in various ways.

But anyway, don't let me get in the way of your squabble with the denizens of this board, just interjecting to correct the historical inaccuracies.

Yes…knowing full well you would write another lengthy screed about WWII blah blah blah. I’ve already countered your neo-liberal, laissez faire talking points numerous times. I stand by what I wrote and can back it up … again…but why?

I’ve even credited you for when you make a fair point.

You’ll never gracefully admit when you’re wrong and increase your use of ROFL emojis instead and that’s ok. Remember…Econ is a soft science.

Rather than write a book, have you thought of trying “I simply don’t agree” and leave it at that?

Edit: I did go back and read. I agree with much of your 2nd to last paragraph.

and you could of said

I’ve been schooled again

GF’s deep sea scrolls > Kalms twitter feed

[GannonFan]

I really don't know anything about Thomas Sowell nor the tit-for-tat back and forth you're having with Carib, but did you honestly just credit one side of the political spectrum with the bold above? Come on, I know we've talked about the poor outcomes of historical education in this country, but surely you haven't been taught that and/or believe that? We got out of the Great Depression thanks to a massive world war and the utter destruction of most of the rest of the industrialized world, other than ourselves. I mean, heck, you could make a better case that Hitler got us out of the Great Depression, in a weird and morbid sort of way. Heck, we had a pretty disastrous recession during the Great Depression that was a direct result of a lot of the New Deal structures put in place.

As for market stability and Glass-Stegall's contribution to that, how do you explain the 11 different recessions this country had from the time of the Great Depression to the time of basically the eradication of Glass-Stegall? How is that stability as you mention? That's like one recession every 5-8 years. I agree that without Glass-Stegall that we're operating without a safety net, but we're not any more unstable now market-wise than we were before its demise.

And as for the middle class and the strength of it, again, not really sure what either side of the political spectrum has to singularly do with that - it's more an outcome of a good, decently-regulated capitalistic economy, mixed with a well-educated and growing population, to both innovate/invent as well as to work in it, that has been the driver for our increase in standard of living. Both sides of the political spectrum contribute and inhibit that working in various ways.

But anyway, don't let me get in the way of your squabble with the denizens of this board, just interjecting to correct the historical inaccuracies.

Yes…knowing full well you would write another lengthy screed about WWII blah blah blah. I’ve already countered your neo-liberal, laissez faire talking points numerous times. I stand by what I wrote and can back it up … again…but why?

I’ve even credited you for when you make a fair point.

You’ll never gracefully admit when you’re wrong and increase your use of ROFL emojis instead and that’s ok. Remember…Econ is a soft science.

Rather than write a book, have you thought of trying “I simply don’t agree” and leave it at that?

Edit: I did go back and read. I agree with much of your 2nd to last paragraph.

11 sentences. That's what I wrote, 11 sentences. I'm sorry if your level of reading stamina has diminished so much that you couldn't concentrate for 11 sentences. Screed indeed. You haven't countered anything, you just claim victory and run away rather than engage in any meaningful argument. It's your default when confronted with facts and figures that negate your pre-assumed outcomes. I've always argued that the New Deal was necessary, that FDR, in many things, did the right things. But I also recognize the fact that the economy was still crap until we ramped up our war footing, as really most people who aren't named kalm also recognize. And that we didn't experience economic bliss and stability continually from then until approximately year 2000 when Glass-Stegall went away. But hey, go ahead, sugarcoat 50 years of economic history while you hold yourself to reading no more than what fits into a quick meme, please, don't tax yourself, you don't have the stamina for it anymore it seems.

[Bobcat]

The answer is a feature of the article you didn’t read. I’m not going to do your homework for you.

Because you know it’s BS

These guys are really this dumb! Its semi fascinating to watch them spin facts

[kalm]

GF

Thomas Sowell was a Marxist when he was young but came of age and educated himself and was man enough to admit he had it all wrong. He’s brilliant but unfortunately you will never see him on TV because he’s blunt about telling the truth

Grew up in Harlem

Has written several books

A professor of economics

Had a tryout with the Dodgers, The Brooklyn Dodgers … didn’t get signed but 42 did

Of course Kalm hates him because because he was able to break free from the modern Democratic urban plantation and destroys every leftist narrative

I don’t hate anyone. I just find Sowell to be another dim bulb in the closet of oligarchy/crony capitalism masquerading as “free market” economics.

[Bobcat]

GF

Thomas Sowell was a Marxist when he was young but came of age and educated himself and was man enough to admit he had it all wrong. He’s brilliant but unfortunately you will never see him on TV because he’s blunt about telling the truth

Grew up in Harlem

Has written several books

A professor of economics

Had a tryout with the Dodgers, The Brooklyn Dodgers … didn’t get signed but 42 did

Of course Kalm hates him because because he was able to break free from the modern Democratic urban plantation and destroys every leftist narrative

I don’t hate anyone. I just find Sowell to be another dim bulb in the closet of oligarchy/crony capitalism masquerading as “free market” economics.

I don't think you hate Sowell, you are just racist and think that black bastard should be back on the democrat plantation where he belongs. You guys cant have a uppity black man having his own opinion unless its what YOU want him to say.

[kalm]

I don’t hate anyone. I just find Sowell to be another dim bulb in the closet of oligarchy/crony capitalism masquerading as “free market” economics.

I don't think you hate Sowell, you are just racist and think that black bastard should be back on the democrat plantation where he belongs. You guys cant have a uppity black man having his own opinion unless its what YOU want him to say.

Projection is a common malady in today’s world.

[Bobcat]

Observation

[houndawg]

I really don't know anything about Thomas Sowell nor the tit-for-tat back and forth you're having with Carib, but did you honestly just credit one side of the political spectrum with the bold above? Come on, I know we've talked about the poor outcomes of historical education in this country, but surely you haven't been taught that and/or believe that? We got out of the Great Depression thanks to a massive world war and the utter destruction of most of the rest of the industrialized world, other than ourselves. I mean, heck, you could make a better case that Hitler got us out of the Great Depression, in a weird and morbid sort of way. Heck, we had a pretty disastrous recession during the Great Depression that was a direct result of a lot of the New Deal structures put in place.

As for market stability and Glass-Stegall's contribution to that, how do you explain the 11 different recessions this country had from the time of the Great Depression to the time of basically the eradication of Glass-Stegall? How is that stability as you mention? That's like one recession every 5-8 years. I agree that without Glass-Stegall that we're operating without a safety net, but we're not any more unstable now market-wise than we were before its demise.

And as for the middle class and the strength of it, again, not really sure what either side of the political spectrum has to singularly do with that - it's more an outcome of a good, decently-regulated capitalistic economy, mixed with a well-educated and growing population, to both innovate/invent as well as to work in it, that has been the driver for our increase in standard of living. Both sides of the political spectrum contribute and inhibit that working in various ways.

But anyway, don't let me get in the way of your squabble with the denizens of this board, just interjecting to correct the historical inaccuracies.

Yes…knowing full well you would write another lengthy screed about WWII blah blah blah. I’ve already countered your neo-liberal, laissez faire talking points numerous times. I stand by what I wrote and can back it up … again…but why?

I’ve even credited you for when you make a fair point.

You’ll never gracefully admit when you’re wrong and increase your use of ROFL emojis instead and that’s ok. Remember…Econ is a soft science.

Rather than write a book, have you thought of trying “I simply don’t agree” and leave it at that?

Edit: I did go back and read. I agree with much of your 2nd to last paragraph.

If nothing else, economists at least serve to make astrologers look good

[kalm]

Observation

So you observed that I criticized Sowell’s economic ideas and philosophy and therefore…racist?

Like I said…

[Caribbean Hen]

Observation

So you observed that I criticized Sowell’s economic ideas and philosophy and therefore…racist?

Like I said…

I noticed the same about you. You seem to be down on black guys…

[kalm]

So you observed that I criticized Sowell’s economic ideas and philosophy and therefore…racist?

Like I said…

I noticed the same about you. You seem to be down on black guys…

You’re both stealing SG’s schtick. Do better.

What do Ben Carson, Thomas Sowell, and Tim Scott have in common?

[Bobcat]

I noticed the same about you. You seem to be down on black guys…

You’re both stealing SG’s schtick. Do better.

What do Ben Carson, Thomas Sowell, and Tim Scott have in common?

All 3 got off of the democrat plantation
All 3 are very intelligent
All 3 are not drinking the commie Kool aid

Oh wait, your gonna say they don't talk like they black enough. That's what racists do.

[Caribbean Hen]

Sowell

“Nothing is easier for a politician than promising government benefits that cannot be delivered. Pensions such as Social Security are perfect for this role. The promises that are made are for money to be paid many years from now - and somebody else will be in power then, left with the job of figuring out what to say and do when the money runs out and the riots start.”

Let’s tell the truth
Voters love to be lied to, and Democrats are very good at at lying.

[kalm]

Sowell

“Nothing is easier for a politician than promising government benefits that cannot be delivered. Pensions such as Social Security are perfect for this role. The promises that are made are for money to be paid many years from now - and somebody else will be in power then, left with the job of figuring out what to say and do when the money runs out and the riots start.”

Let’s tell the truth
Voters love to be lied to, and Democrats are very good at at lying.

Tell me Sowell doesn’t understand the history behind SS insolvency or how many senior citizens it lifted out of poverty. Or the inability of the working class to afford a retirement with dignity while maintaining a high standard of living which also raises demand on products and drives the economy….without telling me Sowell, the wizard economist, doesn’t understand these things at all.

[Bobcat]

Man Kalm just got owned. He will probably go beat some downtrodden black guys this weekend for a release.

[Caribbean Hen]

Sowell

“Nothing is easier for a politician than promising government benefits that cannot be delivered. Pensions such as Social Security are perfect for this role. The promises that are made are for money to be paid many years from now - and somebody else will be in power then, left with the job of figuring out what to say and do when the money runs out and the riots start.”

Let’s tell the truth
Voters love to be lied to, and Democrats are very good at at lying.

Tell me Sowell doesn’t understand the history behind SS insolvency or how many senior citizens it lifted out of poverty. Or the inability of the working class to afford a retirement with dignity while maintaining a high standard of living which also raises demand on products and drives the economy….without telling me Sowell, the wizard economist, doesn’t understand these things at all.

You obviously didn’t get the message of what Sowell said, typical Democrat like you doesn’t pay attention to reality.

Of course, no politician can talk about this because they will immediately be defeated and then one day …boom everything will change

[UNI88]

Sowell

“Nothing is easier for a politician than promising government benefits that cannot be delivered. Pensions such as Social Security are perfect for this role. The promises that are made are for money to be paid many years from now - and somebody else will be in power then, left with the job of figuring out what to say and do when the money runs out and the riots start.”

Let’s tell the truth
Voters love to be lied to, and Democrats are very good at at lying.

Tell me Sowell doesn’t understand the history behind SS insolvency or how many senior citizens it lifted out of poverty. Or the inability of the working class to afford a retirement with dignity while maintaining a high standard of living which also raises demand on products and drives the economy….without telling me Sowell, the wizard economist, doesn’t understand these things at all.

I'd love to hear your take on the history beyond SS insolvency.

[kalm]

Tell me Sowell doesn’t understand the history behind SS insolvency or how many senior citizens it lifted out of poverty. Or the inability of the working class to afford a retirement with dignity while maintaining a high standard of living which also raises demand on products and drives the economy….without telling me Sowell, the wizard economist, doesn’t understand these things at all.

I'd love to hear your take on the history beyond SS insolvency.

Both parties use it as a funding justification for other government spending in lieu of raising taxes or cutting spending.

[UNI88]

I'd love to hear your take on the history beyond SS insolvency.

Both parties use it as a funding justification for other government spending in lieu of raising taxes or cutting spending.

I'm confused. How are they doing that? Do you have examples?

The argument that the government has "raided" SS and not paid it back is false if that's where you're going ...
The Fallacy of the "Government Raid" on Social Security

I've written about Social Security's short- and long-term outlook for the better part of a decade now, and one consistent complaint I encounter is the idea that Congress raided Social Security. More specifically, a notable percentage of Americans believe that lawmakers threw the program's extra cash into the general fund and paid for fruitless wars with this cash, and now the program is "screwed" because politicians didn't put the money back.
...
Here's the truth: Social Security's asset reserves have been borrowed by the federal government, but this borrowing is required by law. The Social Security Administration invests the program's asset reserves into special-issue bonds and, to a lesser extent, certificates of indebtedness. In turn, the federal government utilizes this cash to fund all types of budget line items. This might include defense spending, but it may also include social programs, education, and healthcare. Money borrowed from Social Security isn't earmarked for any federal spending program, in particular, so suggesting that the borrowing was done solely to fund wars isn't correct.

In addition, what most folks are probably overlooking is that Social Security is being paid interest on what it's lent to Congress. The combination of various maturities and yields on its special-issue bonds worked out to an average interest rate of 2.844% at the end of April. In 2018, interest income led to just over $83 billion in revenue collection, or a little more than 8% of all the money Social Security collected last year.

[Caribbean Hen]

Tell me Sowell doesn’t understand the history behind SS insolvency or how many senior citizens it lifted out of poverty. Or the inability of the working class to afford a retirement with dignity while maintaining a high standard of living which also raises demand on products and drives the economy….without telling me Sowell, the wizard economist, doesn’t understand these things at all.

I'd love to hear your take on the history beyond SS insolvency.

The point was about how politicians lie to their constituents and by the time the lies come to fruition they’re either out of office or dead….

Sowell used social security as an example for a much bigger point

And yes, Kalm is wrong as you pointed out