Monday, October 06, 2008

Bad time for an election

Bob Higgs' summary (and critique) of journalists' and politicians' use of metaphors to describe the current economy is priceless. It's a shorthand; it communicates effortlessly; but it ain't deep. Higgs elaborates how it's lazy and obscures more than it illustrates.

Both presidential candidates have savvy economists on their teams. But it's clear that they often ignore good economic advice. Who do they listen to last? A nearby politco? (Most of these people are lawyers.) Their own inner voice? Whoever sounds most like the inner voice? Do Obama-McCain naturally revert to Lou Dobbs-Bill O'Reilly populism? Tuesday's televised debate could be ugly if they each try to hog this road.

Sorry. Metaphors.