Monday Links

Bloggers don't like to leave the house much, especially when it's raining like this, but couldn't miss the debate on Argentina's debt situation this morning -- which means that blogging will be light to nonexistent here until the afternoon. But in the meantime, some links.

Bluematter on Tim Haab on why it doesn't make sense to be holier-than-thou when it comes to carbon emissions and the like:

When I am asking for higher taxes on gasoline, I want them imposed on everyone, not just on me. What's the point of unilaterally deciding to cut my consumption of gas? The planet will not even notice.*
This principle is very well understood in a different, but analytically equivalent, setting: general taxation. If I am asking for higher taxes but the government instead decides to go for a tax cut, will anyone in their right mind ever blame me for not voluntarily paying more than my fair share into the public coffers? Is it hypocritical that I pay the universal 'low' rate of tax while I am the most passionate of advocates for higher rates?
* Ah, I hear you say, but what if a sizable minority of conscientious citizens (for it is a minority, otherwise it would include the all-powerful median voter) all decide to voluntarily reduce their carbon footprint? Well, that's just great: they just reduced the pressure on the not-as-conscientious median voter to do something about it by imposing a universal pigouvian tax (or other mechanism to internalise the externality).

Dean Baker on how people should be listening to him more 'cos he's been right on the economy. I'm not sure about this one: the GDP figure is the sum of many different parts, and Baker didn't call the main part of it, which was continued strong consumption on the part of individuals. But I guess he was indeed more right on the big-picture GDP number than most of Wall Street.

Andrew Leonard on Phillip Killicoat on the AK-47, "the world's most popular open-source assault rifle". It might not be the best, but it's popular because it was never patented.

Lance Knobel on a management book for people who hate management books: The Halo Effect, by Phil Rosenzweig.

Dani Rodrik on where he and George Borjas agree, and where they disagree.