I recently saw an article where the author, not a penner, critisized Milton Friedman for being short, really. The Chicago boys have done untold damage around the world. The get enormous support from right wing think tanks where many lefties, a number of penners included, just scrape by. Gil and Patrick are correct. We need to confront their theories, but realizing all the time, that although their theories provide aid and confort to the powers that be, the most sophisticated disproof of their theories would do little to halt imperialism or repression. Some of that frustration came out in the Becker banter. I confess that I too get a modicum of glee from hearing of the sins and shortfalls of the icons of the powerful. Who among us did not smile when hearing of Donald Trump's financial problems? Right now I would like to hear a bit about the direction we should take. We are getting diatribes against obscure left sects. Silly criticisms about the failings of left economists. Are we going to have to make this a closed list? I know that all of us tend to get overwhelmed by the volume of e-mail. I would like to think that we could use this list to help make the progressive in pen a reality. Some penners are doing great political work and use the list to further that work. Some are doing important practical work that could be of use to others. I wish that Max would keep us more informed about what EPI has on the table. I think that the way that we came together about David Gordon showed another dimension of the list. I will repeat my oft repeated concern that we hear too little from those outside of North America. Look at the list of subscribers. We have people from all over, yet aside from some Australian contributions we hear little about Japan, Brazil or the other places of residence of our people. Bill Mitchell once offered to help set up a pen-l home page. In short, what can we do to make pen-l a more effective tool? -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 916-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
