Fred Foldvary wrote:
> Does the typical American agree, for example, that it is good
> policy to spend billions on farm subsidies, or are they just ignorant and
> apathetic?
I don't know of any survey evidence on this exact question, but
protection and industrial policy to "save jobs" are very popular. My
interaction with most Americans suggests that they support farm
subsidies. I even remember being five years old and getting a lecture
from my mom in the grocery store on the necessity of farm price supports
- "You see, little Bryan, that these supports seem to keep prices up.
But if you got rid of them prices would soon be even higher." It made
sense at the time.
And no, we were not farmers!
--
Prof. Bryan Caplan
Department of Economics George Mason University
http://www.bcaplan.com [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"He lives in deadly terror of agreeing;
'Twould make him seem an ordinary being.
Indeed, he's so in love with contradiction,
He'll turn against his most profound conviction
And with a furious eloquence deplore it,
If only someone else is speaking for it."
Moliere, *The Misanthrope*
