That Krugman Google Message: Fake, But Accurate

Yesterday Allah caught someone calling himself "Paul Krugman" saying that if the DC earthquake had been bigger, it might have been good for the economy, as it would have resulted in money being spent to rebuild what had been lost.

Allah expressed some skepticism that this was actually Krugman.

But he also noted, if it wasn't Krugman, it would be hard for Krugman to explain what is wrong with the statement, as Krugman is actually an enthusiastic believer in the Broken Windows fallacy (that vandals who break windows actually improve the economy, by keeping glass-makers busy with replacement), and even thought 9/11 could be just what the economic doctor ordered:

It seems almost in bad taste to talk about dollars and cents after an act of mass murder. Nonetheless, we must ask about the economic aftershocks from Tuesday's horror.

These aftershocks need not be major. Ghastly as it may seem to say this, the terror attack -- like the original day of infamy, which brought an end to the Great Depression -- could even do some economic good.

Well, it turns out, the new posting about the earthquake was in fact a hoax; the hoaxster admits it. But he also notes that what he said as "Paul Krugman" is quite consistent with what the real Paul Krugman really says, like claiming the Japan Nuke disaster could be "expansionary."

posted by Ace at 04:24 PM

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