BUZZ BOX: Krugman’s views spark debate over economy

The “PAW Asks” ­article (Campus ­Notebook, June 6) with Professor Paul Krugman, about
the U.S. and global economies, prompted more than a dozen alumni responses at PAW Online.

“Professor Krugman has lots of book learnin’, but doesn’t have a clue as to how real businessmen in the real world think,” wrote GAETANO P. CIPRIANO ’78.

DOUG BARTON ’65 found Krugman’s analysis “brilliant, as usual, while still accessible to those of us who got no farther than Econ 102.”

EDWIN L. BROWN *61 said he was in Athens “to implement the 1953 Refugee Relief Act in Truman Doctrine/Marshall Plan days. If now Krugman stands by as odd-man Greece goes under the bus, not seeing the domino effect on Spain, we help bring the House of Europe down on our heads.”

“Keynesian stimulus (more debt) just leads to a compound-interest catastrophe,” commented LARRY DICKSON *71. His suggestion: “Print ‘equity money’ that buys ‘preferred stock’ in national assets, and pay down all the debt.”

Said JOE FOX ’44 *47: “You can’t say Keynesian economics won’t work if you don’t give them a try.”