So Dubner and Levitt, who gave us Freakomomics, have weighed in with their solution to climate change. Which solution proposes massive public works projects that could only be undertaken by a world government. Because why? Because a slight increase in the price of fossil fuels designed to induce many small changes in individual behavior would restrict our freedom of choice and represent massive government interference in the market.

Huh?

You can follow all of this on Krugman's Blog and Wonks Anonymous would not have much to add to Krugman' and Delong's expert debunking.

Except that he thinks that they have the matter of motivation a bit wrong:

I have a theory here, although it may not be the whole story: it’s about careerism. Annoying conservatives is dangerous: they take names, hold grudges, and all too often find ways to take people who annoy them down. As a result, the Kewl Kids, as Digby calls them, tread very carefully when people on the right are concerned — and they snub anyone who breaks the unwritten rule and mocks those who must not be offended.

Annoying liberals, on the other hand, feels transgressive but has historically been safe. The rules may be changing (as Dubner and Levitt are in the process of finding out), but it’s been that way for a long time.

Back when Wonks Anonymous was teaching at community colleges one of his colleagues ws a woman who had just come from George Mason University famed for Tyler Cowen and other stalwarts of the right. One day she approached him with an opportunity. He could make $1,000 by teaching a class on global warming. Materials would be provided by some public spirited foundation or other. He did not have to approve or disapprove of the materials. He would just be offering: "A different point of view."

Now at this point in time $1,000 would have been about 50% of Wonks Anonymous monthly net as a part-time community college teacher. He refused because he felt that this was not ethical.

Wonks Anonymous will also note that bribes come in lots of forms. There are endowed professorships in free market economics, research grants and hosted conferences that just happen to be at major resorts.

Wonks Anonymous hopes that the rewards reaped by Dubner and Levitt are in line with the reward that he was offered. He does not want to think that these brilliant economists sold themselves cheaply.