Re: Economic reform policy: Some views and proposals

[John Vertegaal <vertegaa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Trond Andresen wrote:

>Another positive example is the "employer of last resort"/job guarantee
>proposal, that has been argued for by Randy Wray, Bill Mitchell and
>Warren Mosler.

>IMO, this should also be part of an economics reform package that
>progressive economists ought to be able to agree on.

Doesn't that depend on what assumptions your opinion is based on?
Let's take e.g. cancer as a metaphor for involuntary unemployment.
Not knowing the cause of cancer it's obvious to do everything in one's
power to alleviate the suffering, once cancer developed.  But if the
cause were known and preventable, would it be ethical to promote the
treatment over prevention; especially if a reduction in living standard
is par for the course?
  So if prevention is impossible, or already too late, by all means go
for the treatment; but if the cause is known, a very different and far
superior solution should be promoted.  All IMO of course.

John V