The disconnect between liberal/progressive academics and reality

I'm still shaking my head at the sheer, utter stupidity on display in a US News discussion about the impact of Obamacare on jobs.  Here's an excerpt.

What the truth might be, and what few politicians would dare say, is there might simply be some value in lower economic growth.

. . .

Initially, says one expert, there will be benefits in the fact that there is plenty of slack in the labor market. The combination of many unemployed Americans and many people finding jobs just to get insurance means that if a few people cut back their hours, there will be more hours for the people who want them. In and of itself, that theoretically means people will be much happier, says Ken Jacobs, chair of the Labor Center at the University of California-Berkeley, though that effect would dissipate as the job market improves.

“GDP growth isn't a good in and of itself,” he says. “The question here is what's going to create the most happiness for the greatest numbers of people. Being in a situation where people have to work full time or 40 hours a week at a job that may not be the best match for them because that is the only way to get health insurance is not the way you create the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.”

. . .

The ultimate question is a question of philosophy of government: especially at a time of economic weakness, can any more hits to growth be tolerated, or is the populace’s welfare the ultimate good?

There's (unfortunately) more at the link.  Bold underlined text is my emphasis.

The obvious, screaming, in-your-face problem with this perspective is simple.  Who decides what constitutes "happiness"?  Who decides what constitutes "the populace's welfare"?  Who determines what is (or what should be) "the ultimate good" of the populace, or a society, or a nation?  Clearly, the 'enlightened' (doubtless including Mr. Jacobs) would opine that we can leave those decisions in their hands.  Personally, I'd rather fire every one of these academics in their left-leaning ivory towers, and trust those who've actually worked for a living.

Meanwhile, in the real world:

• For the true impact of Obamacare on the job market, free of socialist and/or progressive and/or left-wing and/or Marxist rhetoric, see here.
• Guess what all those newly jobless or those with reduced hours of work are going to do?  They're going to demand government handouts to subsidize them.
• Guess who's going to be asked to pay for those handouts?  The taxpayers of America - you and I.
• Finally, care to guess the reaction of more and more of those taxpayers?

Word.





Peter