Good or bad aside, I think that's a misclassification.

The best analog to adviser Goolsbee is Steve Freakonomics Levitt (as it happens, his very close friend). They are not too wrapped up in n-c theory, IMO. They are empirical and ad hoc. Of course, not especially liberal, but not right of center either. N.B., Goolsbee is the the U of Cgo school of business, not the econ dept.

On fiscal policy, Goolsbee and Furman are in the deficit reduction camp of Rubin, though the Rubin combine is in a different place than in 1992, at least by their statements. They are more indulgent of public domestic spending, less urgency on deficit reduction, more willing to acknowledge losers from "free trade." Furman was instrumental in knocking down Bush's privatization plan. Goolsbee threw in a good brickbat as well, doing a study on how rich the Wall Street brokers would become from
managing Bush's private accounts.

When I think Chicago School I think of Friedman's monetary theory, which these guys have nothing to do with (what Goolsbee described to me as "old macro"), or fundamentalist micro a la Gary Becker,
which is not an accurate description either.

The best hint as to policy direction for the BHO administration is in the new book "Nudge" by Thaler (a 'new behavioral economist') and law prof Cass Sunstein. It's innovative but weak tea, as far as
progressive proposals go.

Alternatively, the worst case scenario, aside from a McCain victory, is a reversion to Clintonism once the election is won. A few people may have forgotten that Clinton ran well to the left of
where he governed.




Paul Zarembka wrote:
On Furman into Obama's economic team:

www.truthout.org/article/obamas-selection-jason-furman-economic-advisor-is-criticized

Obama's economics seems pretty Chicago School.

Paul Zarembka

*************************************************************************
THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF 9-11, P.Zarembka,ed., Seven Stories Press, Jun.2008
 $14 pre-sale at www.amazon.com/gp/product/158322825X/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk
********************** http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/PZarembka

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