In a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal, Don Boudreaux decries politicians who pander to the ignorance of voters:
21 November 2007
Editor, The Wall Street Journal
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
To the Editor:
Anyone seeking at least one good reason for the dollar’s falling value should
ponder your report on how Iowans benefit from globalization and yet nevertheless
are increasingly clamor for protectionism (“A Globalization Winner Joins in
Trade Backlash,” November 21). With politicians brazenly pandering to this
economic ignorance, America very likely will soon become less open to
international commerce. And being less open to trade not only makes Americans
poorer, it makes America a less attractive place to invest. As investors seek
relatively greener pastures, demand for the dollar falls.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
There are quite a few such politicians, but the one who comes first to mind is a former senator from North Carolina who gets super-expensive haircuts.
