What about the facts and statistics in the article.Reader comment on: NPR on the Rich and State Tax Rates Submitted by ben (United States), Apr 29, 2011 17:58 I was not accurate in my assertion that they are both Stanford Professors. One is a Stanford professor who specifically studies the intersection of sociology and economics. I will go out on a limb and say he has more of a background in economics than either of us. The second is a sociology professor at Princeton. Surely the fact they are professors doesn't guarantee their accuracy, however, they cite many articles that are based on actual studies, and have clearly crunched the numbers themselves. Is there a problem with their methodology that you see? Is it problematic because it doesn't conform to what you think should happen when taxes rise? My point about experts is that I put a lot more faith in those whose job it is to study something, rather than myself who reads the newspaper regularly. I go to the doctor because I trust them more than my Mom to suggest what to do when sick. I trust the bike repairman to fix my bike because that's what he does for a living. Will the bike repairman always do the right thing? No. Will the doctor always prescribe the right medicine? Of course not. But just because we all have some basic power of logic and sense of how the World works doesn't make us experts. Future of Capitalism assumes that if taxes rise by 2.9% on millionaires that people will flee. This is not based on data, but on a feeling for how the world works. It reminds me of so many arguments made on the right these days - from Birtherism (facts be damned!) to climate change (Facts be damned!) to the power of the market to bring down healthcare costs (medicare advantage plans anyone?). I was wrong on your first point, half wrong on your second, and didn't even mention points three or four in my comment - so I don't know what they are in response to. Note: Comments are moderated by the editor and are subject to editing. The Future of Capitalism replies: Again, my issue is not with the professors but with the NPR report of it, which omitted a key point and got the date of the tax increase wrong. If your point is to listen to the experts, I may not be a economics or sociology expert but I am a certified Harvard-trained journalism expert and my expert opinion is that that NPR piece is an example of lousy journalism. Me, I make up my own mind and don't defer much to experts, but if you do, that's my only point here. Other reader comments on this item
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