Prescription for John Edwards

by Don Boudreaux on November 23, 2007

in Politics

Paul Jacobs — who is a font of genuinely good common sense — has a proposal for president-wannabe John Edwards.

Indeed, no industry practices false and misleading advertising as thoroughly as does the indusrry of politics.

(HT Jeff Jacoby)

Comments

{ 8 comments }

holymoly November 23, 2007 at 11:26 am: "Indeed, no industry practices false and misleading advertising as thoroughly as does the indusrry of politics."

The tobacco industry lobbyists are probably feeling a bit conflicted by your statement.
Methinks November 23, 2007 at 11:49 am: I wonder what tune Edwards would play if a new drug came out that would help his wife with her cancer.
spencer November 23, 2007 at 12:35 pm: Do you have data to support this or is it just something you have decided to assert?
spencer November 23, 2007 at 12:44 pm: Paul Jacobs compares this to drug advertising.But until just a few years ago drug companies were not allowed to advertise prescription drugs. Surely someone has studied this change in regulation and demonstrated that allowing drug companies to advertise prescription drugs has lead to an improvement in the health of the population rather than just increased drug company profits. If so, where is the data?

We do know that since the change in regulations the rate of introduction of new drugs has declined — just the opposite of
your thesis. Of course correlation does not prove causation.
shawn November 23, 2007 at 12:46 pm: …lest we be opinionated and assertive on blogs.
Python November 23, 2007 at 11:08 pm: Spencer says: "We do know that since the change in regulations the rate of introduction of new drugs has declined — just the opposite of your thesis."

Hey Spencer, can you clarify who's thesis you are referring to.
Mesa Econoguy November 24, 2007 at 1:34 am: I wonder how much John Edwards would pay to receive experimental treatment (the debate is over) on his wife’s cancer, given his malpractice proclivity….
vidyohs November 26, 2007 at 5:51 pm: Awww holymoly, the tobacco industry are pikers in the lying and cheating game.

""Indeed, no industry practices false and misleading advertising as thoroughly as does the indusrry of politics."
The tobacco industry lobbyists are probably feeling a bit conflicted by your statement.
Posted by: holymoly | Nov 23, 2007 11:26:25 AM"

You'll notice Don said "as thoroughly as", which simply means he was indicating that the politician(s) is the champ, not the exclusive lier or cheater….just the best and certainly the most consistent.

The difference between the lying merchant and the lying politican is the quality of force that the politician can bring to bear as compared to the total absence of force that can be exerted by the lying merchant.

I can laugh at and enjoy the antics of the lying merchant, but the lying politican presents me with only one reasonable option and that is to provide him with the immediate opportunity to discover whether he was right or wrong about the existence of God.