Krugman Uses the Creationist Metaphor Again

Describing a recent economics hire by the Council for Foreign Relations, Paul Krugman wonders if the CFR will hire a creationist to run their science policy group (I actually think they'll hire an anti-vaccinationist as a public health person, or a global warming denier before they get to a creationist). It's been fascinating to watch Krugman's evolution (so to speak) on how he responds to the lunatic right, and to see his repeated use of the creationist metaphor.

I think Krugman, far more than most pundits, caught on mcuh earlier than most to the conservative penchant for, well, lying, because, during the 2000 election campaign, he was absolutely frustrated by the extent to which the Bush campaign pulled financial figures out of its ass. Mind you, this had nothing to do with analysis or political bias, but with addition and subtraction: the Bush numbers didn't even come close to adding up.

I think he's finally reached the point where he realizes that a significant portion of the economic conservatives can't be reached by evidence or logic--as is the case with many social conservatives, including the creationists. They simply must be identified as crazy people. It will be very interesting to see if this metaphor--or perhaps, flat-earther--catches on.

Extra bonus crazy: In the comments, one very foolish commenter writes:

The theory of evolution, whatever its merits, is a monopolistic theory that its proponents effectively prohibit discussion or consideration of alternative ideas. The similarity, in such that there is one, would more accurately be made between them and the classical economists that clinged to there view of the world during the great Depression, despite evidence to the contrary.

Actually, you moron, we've considered the other ideas (that is, creationism), confronted them with evidence, and discarded them.