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Dean Baker and Colman on unemployment***

by Laurent GUERBY
Mon Jun 19th, 2006 at 08:44:06 AM EST

I pinged Dean Baker about Colman excellent post about unemployment and he answered my request on his blog Beat the Press

Cooking Unemployment Data to Make the U.S. Look Better
Laurent Guerby made a post on the prior topic about European-U.S. unemployment comparisons, I was just at a conference sponsored by the OECD where exactly this issue came up. The basic point is that proponents of the U.S. model want to add people in employment training programs and disability roles in Europe to their official unemployment rates for purposes of international comparisons.
This seems bogus on several grounds.
[...]

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Dean Baker and Colman on unemployment*** | 8 comments (8 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Dean Baker and Colman on unemployment (none / 0)

I think what these people really want is to count anyone who receives any kind of government benefit (unemployment, disability, employment training) as an undesirable burden on the economy. Dean Baker puts it nicely...

it is an entirely reasonable decision on a society's part that they would be willing to pay more in taxes so that people who have some impediment that makes it difficult to work, do not have to work. It is reasonable to have a more strict standard as well

By laying out pros and cons we risk inducing people to join the debate, and losing control of a process that only we fully understand. - Alan Greenspan

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Jun 16th, 2006 at 05:37:55 PM EST

Re: Dean Baker and Colman on unemployment (none / 0)

Good find, Laurent!

"Once in awhile we get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if we look at it right" - Hunter/Garcia

by whataboutbob on Sat Jun 17th, 2006 at 05:38:25 AM EST

Re: Dean Baker and Colman on unemployment (none / 1)

Cool. I feel all clever now; real economists mostly agreeing with me. Thanks Laurent.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Sat Jun 17th, 2006 at 06:42:16 AM EST

Re: Dean Baker and Colman on unemployment (none / 1)

Thanks!

I did run one piece on my blog, after investigating a bit more it turns out that many economists stepped in:

Marginal Revoltuion

Truch And Barter

Stefan Karlsson

Note that Antoine Belgodere who took the issue on my blog is a PhD student in economics.

by Laurent GUERBY on Sat Jun 17th, 2006 at 07:26:02 AM EST

Re: Dean Baker and Colman on unemployment (none / 0)

Ha, ha, Laurent!

Ma question était autre et tu as de fait bien répondu : les économistes selon toi ont autre chose à faire que de regarder et sélectionner des données pertinentes pour comprendre le monde réel et décrire son état et évolution potentielle de manière convainquante au public. Un peu de math sans données et pas mal d'idéologie c'est moins "dégradant" et ça paye plus en médaille en chocolat.

By laying out pros and cons we risk inducing people to join the debate, and losing control of a process that only we fully understand. - Alan Greenspan

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Jun 17th, 2006 at 07:44:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean Baker and Colman on unemployment (none / 0)

Migeru, given your signature, I assume you've watched this interview of Richard Feynman.

And appreciated the passage about social sciences and their math models and data use :).

by Laurent GUERBY on Sat Jun 17th, 2006 at 10:24:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean Baker and Colman on unemployment (none / 1)

Not too bad either. Some whining about my links (follow the ones you're given and you'll find it all you lazy fuck) and picking at my numbers (together with the "How dare you include our wonderful military" line.)

Nothing too embarrassing!

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Sat Jun 17th, 2006 at 10:03:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dean Baker and Colman on unemployment (none / 0)

BTW, congrats for your success against odds at Kos :)

by Laurent GUERBY on Sat Jun 17th, 2006 at 10:26:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Dean Baker and Colman on unemployment*** | 8 comments (8 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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