Fiscal Theory

Britain's government workers should man up and accept that the free ride is over.

Dean Baker — prominent Keynesian pundit and codirector of the Center for Economic and Policy Research — testified that the dollar's fall was inevitable, and even a good thing in light of the US trade deficit. At the time, I knew I disagreed with Baker, but I didn't get a chance to explain why.

A recorded mini lecture and video display purported to explain this mysterious phenomenon (mysterious to the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street, anyway). I knew that I was going to hear either a self-critical explanation or, more likely, some hogwash. Hogwash won, hands down, writes Patrick Barron...

Inflation or deflation? Dow 1,000 or wheelbarrow money?