Social Security Choice: Print This

450 Reminders to the Liberal Media

Andrew Roth

Last week, the Cato Institute issued a new advertisement listing 450 economists, including 5 Nobel laureates, from across the country who have publicly endorsed personal accounts for Social Security. This may be the first time you've heard about this because the Washington Post and the New York Times haven't reported it. Neither has USA Today or the LA Times. According to a spokesman at Cato, it hasn't been reported on any of the major TV networks, either. No one is reporting this story. All of this, of course, is completely unconscionable. Would it be newsworthy if 450 climatologists signed a joint petition saying that the ozone layer was being depleted? Or, to stay on point, would it be newsworthy if 450 economists jointly agreed that President Bush was WRONG to endorse personal accounts? Would the liberal media report it then? Of course they would. They would report the story even if 450 Hollywood actors agreed that personal accounts were wrong, and they aren't even experts. But when 450 economists -- people whose expertise we rely on when it comes to fiscal matters like Social Security -- collectively agree that personal accounts are the way to go, the liberal media turns into a pack of church mice. If you favor personal accounts and you believe that this story is being VASTLY under-reported, be sure to write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. LET'S MAKE IT A STORY. If you run a blog, write about it. If you host a radio show, talk about it. If you speak in front of community groups, give a speech about it. Let's get out the word. And, with a hat tip to the Cato Institute for putting the petition together, I'm reprinting the 450 economists below. UPDATE: Will Franklin links to a non-partisan report that shows massive liberal bias in the media coverage surrounding Social Security reform.

450 ECONOMISTS WHO SUPPORT PERSONAL ACCOUNTS William J. Abernathy David Abraham Burton A. Abrams University of Delaware Douglas K. Adie Ohio University Varul Agarwal Robert A. Agnew FMC Corp. William Albrecht University of Iowa Donald L. Alexander Western Michigan University Kingsley Allen Independent Wealth Inc. William R. Allen UCLA Ogden O. Allsbrook Jr. University of Georgia Ryan C. Amacher University of Texas Annelise Anderson Hoover Institution Gary Anderson University of California -- Northridge Martin Anderson Hoover Institution Wayne Angell Angell Economics Joseph R. Antos American Enterprise Institute Jim Araji University of Idaho Richard K. Armey former U.S. House Majority Leader John Baden Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment Howard Baetjer Towson University Charles W. Baird California State University Anatol Balbach Private economist Ray Ball University of Chicago A. Paul Ballantyne University of Colorado King Banaian St. Cloud State University Andy Barnett Auburn University Atin Basu Virginia Military Institute Stacie Beck University of Delaware James Beckwith North Carolina Central University Don Bellante University of South Florida James Bennett George Mason University Bruce L. Benson Florida State University M. Douglas Berg Sam Houston State University John E. Berthoud National Taxpayers Union John J. Bethune Barton College Bob Bise Orange Coast College Cecil E. Bohannon Ball State University Donald R. Booth Chapman University G. Geoffrey Booth Michigan State University Karl J. Borden University of Nebraska George Borts Brown University Donald J. Boudreaux George Mason University Karol Boudreaux George Mason University Harold J. Bowen Bowen, Hanes & Company, Inc. John H. Boyd University of Minnesota Scott Bradford Brigham Young University Michael W. Brandl The University of Texas Charles Breeden Marquette University Wayne T. Brough FreedomWorks David Brown University of Wisconsin William W. Brown California State University -- Northridge Phil Bryson Brigham Young University Richard C. K. Burdekin Claremont McKenna College Rob Burrus University of North Carolina James L. Butkiewicz University of Delaware Stuart M. Butler Heritage Foundation Colin D. Campbell Dartmouth College Noel D. Campbell North Georgia College and State University Anne C. Canfield Canfield & Associates Oral Capps Jr. Virginia Polytechnic Institute William J. Carney Emory University John B. Chilton American University of Sharjah Kenneth W. Chilton Washington University John S. Chipman University of Minnesota Barry R. Chiswick University of Illinois J. R. Clark University of Tennessee Craig M. Clausen NPRG, Inc. R. Morris Coats Nicholls State University Joe Cobb Dana Point, California Howard Cochran Jr. Belmont University John P. Cochran Metropolitan State College of Denver Boyd D. Collier Tarleton State University William B. Conerly Conerly Whelan Inc. Lee Coppock University of Virginia Jim F. Couch University of Northern Alabama Eleanor Craig University of Delaware Tom Crocker University of Wyoming Ward S. Curran Trinity College Stephen M. Daley George Mason University Jerry W. Dauterive Loyola University of New Orleans Otto Davis Carnegie Mellon University Ted Day University of Texas Arthur De Vany University of California -- Irvine Clarence Deitsch Ball State University Thomas DeLeire Michigan State University Gregory J. Delemeester Marietta College Henry Demmert Santa Clara University Craig A. Depken II Thomas J. DiLorenzo Loyola College in Maryland James Dorn Towson University Floyd H. Duncan Virginia Military Institute William C. Dunkelberg Temple University Parnell Duverger Broward Community College James R. Edwards Montana State University Chris Edwards Cato Institute John Eggers Towson University Isaac Ehrlich SUNY at Buffalo Jeffrey A. Eisenach CapAnalysis, LLC Ward Elliot Claremont McKenna College Dennis F. Ellis University of Michigan at Flint Michael A. Ellis Kent State University Bert Ely Ely & Company Kenneth G. Elzinga University of Virginia Stephen J. Entin Institute for Research on the Economics of Taxation Richard E. Ericson East Carolina University Paul Evans Ohio State University Frank Falero California State University Allen M. Featherstone Kansas State University Paul J. Feldstein University of California -- Irvine Arthur A. Fleisher III Metro State College of Denver Harold Flint Montclair State University Sean Flynn Vassar College Fred Foldvary Santa Clara University William Ford Middle Tennessee State University Blair Fortner The Senate Majority Fund (Missouri) Micah Frankel California State University Gary L. French Nathan Associates, Inc. Milton Friedman Hoover Institution Kenneth C. Froewiss NYU Stern School of Business Gary M. Galles Pepperdine University B. Delworth Gardner Brigham Young University Dave Garthoff University of Akron Gerald Garvey Claremont Graduate University James F. Gatti University of Vermont David E. R. Gay University or Arkansas Gregory M. Gelles University of Missouri Adam Gifford California State University -- Northridge Micha Gisser University of New Mexico Amy Jocelyn Glass Texas A&M University Richard F. Gleisner St. Cloud State University Charles J. Goetz University of Virginia Stephan F. Gohmann University of Louisville Rodolfo A. Gonzalez San Jose State University John C. Goodman National Center for Policy Analysis Richard L. Gordon Pennsylvania State University David B. Gordon Clemson University Scott F. Grannis Western Asset Management Bettina Bien Greaves Foundation for Economic Education William B. Green Sam Houston State University Ken Greene Binghamton University John G. Greenhut Arizona State University Daniel Gressel Teleos Asset Management Neal D. E. Griffin ISI Group, Inc. Earl L. Grinols III Baylor University Daniel M. Gropper Auburn University Edward Guay Wintonbury Risk Management Gerald A. Gunderson Trinity College Thomas Guthrie Indiana University James Gwartney Florida State University David Haddock Northwestern University Rik Hafer Southern Illinois University Dennis Halcoussis California State University -- Northridge David Hammes University of Hawaii Stephen Happel Arizona State University Lowell Harris Columbia University James E. Hartley Mount Holyoke College Kevin Hassett American Enterprise Institute Joel W. Hay University of Southern California Thomas W. Hazlett Manhattan Institute Dale M. Heien University of California -- Davis David R. Henderson Hoover Institution James W. Henderson Baylor University Robert Herren North Dakota State University Steve Hiebsch OGE Jack High George Mason University P. J. Hill Wheaton College Bradley K. Hobbs Florida Gulf Coast University Irving Hoch University of Texas Randall G. Holcombe Florida State University Fred Holden Jefferson Co., CO Treasurers Office Milton L. Holloway Resource Economics, Inc. Charley Hooper Objective Insights, Inc. Brian R. Horrigan Loomis, Sayles & Co. Steve Horwitz St. Lawrence University Lee Hoskins Pacific Research Institute James L. Huffman Lewis & Clark Law School Jeffrey Hummel San Jose State University E. Kingdon Hurlock Calvert Investment Counsel E. Bruce Hutchinson University of Tennessee Selahattin Imrohoroglu University of Southern California Jeffrey Ingram The University of Louisiana-Monroe F. Owen Irvine Michigan State University Steve Jackstadt University of Alaska Joseph M. Jadlow Oklahoma State University Austin Jaffe Penn State University Sherry Jarrell Wake Forest University Rod E. Jensen Atlantic Portfolio Analytics & Mgt. Dennis A. Johnson University of South Dakota Timothy Kane Heritage Foundation Steve Kaplan University of Chicago Alexander Katkov Johnson & Wales University Raymond J. Keating Small Business Survival Committee W. Thomas Kelly Savers & Investors League Isaac C. Kerridge Baker Hughes Foundation Mark L. Kersey NPRG, Inc. B. F. Kiker University of South Carolina Chris Kirby University of Texas Robin Klay Hope College Daniel B. Klein Santa Clara University Arnold Kling George Mason University David Klingaman Ohio University Roy F. Knapp Consultech, Inc. Charles Knoeber North Carolina State University Donald Knop Transco Craig R. Knotson Southwestern Bell Paul Koch Olivet Nazarene University Meir Kohn Dartmouth College James W. Kolari Texas A&M University Roger Kormendi University of Michigan Leslie Koska Melvyn Krauss Hoover Institution Robert Krol California State University -- Northridge Larry Kudlow Kudlow & Co., LLC Michael M. Kurth McNeese State University Richard La Near Missouri Southern State University David N. Laband Auburn University Arthur Laffer Laffer Associates William E. Laird Florida State University Deepak Lal UCLA Frank R. Lanou Frank Lanou & Associates Nicholas A. Lash Loyola University Chicago Robert A. Lawson Capital University Ed Lazear Stanford University Christopher Lee St. Ambrose University Dwight R. Lee University of Georgia Ken Lehn University of Pittsburgh Noreen Lephardt Marquette University Peter Lewin University of Texas Stan Liebowitz University of Texas Leonard Liggio Institute for Humane Studies Cotton M. Lindsay Clemson University Allan E. Lines Ohio State University Jody W. Lipford Presbyterian College Luis Locay University of Miami Dennis E. Logue University of Oklahoma Herbert I. London New York University Edward Lopez San Jose State University Donald L. Losman National Defense University James R. Lothian Fordham University John Lott American Enterprise Institute Lawrence Lovik Troy State College Robert E. Lucas Jr. University of Chicago Donald L. Luskin Trend Macrolytics Max Lyons Employment Policy Foundation David W. Maaske Glenn MacDonald Washington University Doug MacKenzie Ramapo College of New Jersey Joseph P. Magaddino Calfornia State University -- Long Beach Burton Malkiel Princeton University Cynthia S. Maloney LMI Yuri N. Maltsev Carthage College N. Gregory Mankiw Harvard University Henry G. Manne George Mason University Dick Marcus University of Wisconsin Michael L. Marlow California Polytechnic State University Deryl Martin Tennessee Tech University Craig Marxsen University of Nebraska John G. Matsusaka University of Southern California Merrill Matthews Institute for Policy Innovation Deirdre McCloskey University of Chicago Paul W. McCracken University of Michigan Myra J. McCrickard Bellarmine College Richard McKenzie University of California -- Irvine Lawrence J. McQuillan Pacific Research Institute Tom Means San Jose State University David I. Meiselman Virginia Tech Lloyd J. Mercer University of California -- Santa Barbara John Merrifield University of Texas Marc Miles Heritage Foundation James C. Miller III Former Director of the Office of Management and Budget Jeff Milyo University of Missouri James Mintert Kansas State University Mario J. Miranda Ohio State University Daniel J. Mitchell Heritage Foundation Ronald L. Moomaw Oklahoma State University Adrian Moore Reason Foundation Steve Moore Free Enterprise Fund John C. Moorhouse Wake Forest University Paul Morgan Westmont College Michael A. Morrisey University of Alabama Andrew P. Morriss Case Western University Robert Mundell Columbia University Michael Munger Duke University Dennis Muraoka California State University -- Channel Islands Frank W. Musgrave Ithaca College David Mustard University of Georgia Bharat B. Nauriyal Anthony Negbenebor Gardner-Webb University George R. Neumann University of Iowa James E. Newton Franklin University William Niskanen Cato Institute Thomas A. Noll Seth Norton Wheaton Philip A. Nuetzel SBC Operations, Inc. William H. Oakland Tulane University Lee E. Ohanian UCLA David J. O'Hara Metropolitan State University June O'Neill Baruch College, CUNY Lydia Ortega San Jose State University Bill Orzechowski Orzechowski and Walker Dale K. Osborne University of Texas F. Taylor Ostrander H. Edwin Overcast AGL Resources Walton Padelford Union University Karen Palasek John Locke Foundation Richard A. Palfin Legal Economic Evaluations Gary Palmer Alabama Policy Institute E. C. Pasour Jr. North Carolina State University Gary M. Pecquet Tulane University Svetozar Pejovich Texas A&M University Sam Peltzman University of Chicago Mark J. Perry University of Michigan Janet K. Phelps R.W. Beck David M. Pizzano Feld Entertainment Matthew P. Plezia Long Beach, CA Charles Plosser University of Rochester Charles R. Plott California Institute of Technology Jennifer L. Polhemus Alex J. Pollock American Enterprise Institute Joe Pomykala Towson University Jeffrey Pontiff Boston College Robert W. Poole Reason Foundation Michael H. Posgrove Barry Poulson University of Colorado Randall Pozdena Edward C. Prescott Arizona State University Jason A. Presley The WEFA Group Jan S. Prybyla Pennsylvania State University Berry Pulliam Frederick J. Rafield Ashland University Richard W. Rahn Novecon Corporation R. David Ranson HC Wainwright & Co. Economics John Rapp University of Dayton Eric Rasmusen Indiana University Richard Rawlins Missouri Southern State University Lawrence W. Reed Mackinac Center for Public Policy Martin Regalia U.S. Chamber of Commerce Spencer Reibman Georgia State University Joseph D. Reid Jr. George Mason University Ralph R. Reiland Robert Morris University Robert W. Reinke University of South Dakota George Reisman Pepperdine University Andy Rettenmaier Texas A&M University Alan Reynolds Cato Institute Anthony H. Riccardi AHR Associates Wesley Rickard Christine P. Ries Georgia Institute of Technology Mario Rizzo New York University Nancy Roberts Arizona State University Robert J. Rossana Wayne State University Thomas Rotelli Timothy Roth University of Texas Robert A. Rothenberg Kohn Advisors Simon Rottenberg University of Massachusetts Charles K. Rowley George Mason University D. J. Rubattom Rubattom & Associates Paul H. Rubin Emory University Fred B. Ruckdeschel Bethesda, MD Roy Ruffin University of Houston John Ruggiero University of Dayton Mark Rush University of Florida Andrew A. Samwick Dartmouth College Gary J. Santoni Ball State University Thomas R. Saving Texas A&M University Eric Schansenberg David Schmidtz University of Arizona James Schrager University of Chicago Michael A. Schuyler Institute for Research on the Economics of Taxation Anna J. Schwartz National Bureau of Economic Research G. William Schwert University of Rochester Robert Haney Scott California State University -- Chico John J. Seater North Carolina State University Larry J. Sechrest Sul Ross State University Carlos Seiglie Rutgers University Barry J. Seldon The University of Texas George Selgin University of Georgia John Semmens Phoenix College Edwin A. Sexton Virginia Military Institute Sejal Shah Sol S. Shalit University of Wisconsin Alan C. Shapiro University of Southern California Stephen Shmanske California State University -- East Bay Mark Showalter Brigham Young University William F. Shughart II The University of Mississippi George P. Shultz Hoover Institution Charles Skipton University of Tampa Mark Skousen Columbia University W. Gene Smiley Marquette University Amy Smith The Lindsey Group Clifford W. Smith University of Rochester James F. Smith University of North Carolina Vernon Smith George Mason University Michael Smolens Astrazeneca Russell Sobel West Virginia University David L. Sollars Washburn University Douglas Southgate Ohio State University David E. Spencer Bringham Young University Frank Spreng McKendree College Beryl W. Sprinkel B.W. Sprinkel Economists Stan Spurlock Mississippi State University William Stanford University of Illinois Ben Stein Pepperdine University Craig Stephenson Babson College E. Frank Stephenson Berry College Alan Stockman University of Rochester Houston H. Stokes University of Illinois Courtenay C. Stone Ball State University Richard Sweeney Georgetown University Stuart Sweet Capital Analysts Network Thomas L. Tacker University of Central Florida Robert Tamura Clemson University Rebecca Thacker Ohio University Clifford F. Thies Shenandoah University Richard H. Timberlake University of Georgia Robert Tollison Clemson University Robert Topel University of Chicago Edward Tower Duke University Henry Townsend NIPAZ Leo Troy Rutgers University David G. Tuerck Suffolk University Gordon Tullock George Mason University Charlotte Twight Boise State University Kamal P. Upadhyaya University of New Haven Charles Upton Kent State University T. Norman Van Cott Ball State University Richard K. Vedder Ohio University Randal J. Verbrugge Virginia Tech Robert Vigil Analysis Group Inc. John Volpe Trinity College Richard E. Wagner George Mason University William B. Walstad University of Nebraska Stephen J.K. Walters Loyola College Jude Wanniski Polyconomics Thayer Watkins San Diego State University Carolyn L. Weaver American Enterprise Institute Marc Weidenmier Claremont McKenna College Michael Welker Franciscan University of Steubenville John T. Wenders University of Idaho Brian S. Wesbury Claymore Securities Robert Whaples Wake Forest University Lawrence White University of Missouri John Wicks University of Montana Michael Williams University of Denver Walter E. Williams George Mason University Doug Wills University of Washington Mike Wohlgenant North Carolina State University Gary Wolfram Hillsdale College Gene C. Wunder Washburn University Bruce Yandle Mercatus Center DeVon L. Yoho Ball State University Paul Zak Claremont Graduate University Mokhlis Zaki Northern Michigan University Arnold Zellner University of Chicago
Posted by Andrew Roth on May 16, 2005 3:35 PM to Social Security Choice