Sir, – There is no columnist published by The Irish Times whose writings I admire more than Janan Ganesh, but I fundamentally disagree with him on the subject of Bidenomics (“Kamala Harris should ditch Joe Biden’s economic platform”, Analysis, World, August 22nd).
Bidenomics has addressed the very real need the US has for greater levels of public services and infrastructural investment on so many fronts. For too long, US society has remained one of “private affluence and public squalor”, which is how it was characterised by JK Galbraith in the 1950s.
Bidenomics has resulted in record high levels of employment in the US. The inflation which may be attributable to Bidenomics (though there are also other factors at work) is a function of these high levels of employment, with more people on decent wages chasing the same quantum of goods. It is a temporary phenomenon, as the supply of goods will surely expand to meet the increased demand.
Do those who decry Bidenomics really believe higher unemployment would be an acceptable price to pay in order to control a temporary rise in inflation? That would be a consequence of abandoning Bidenomics, as well as the loss of vital public services and necessary infrastructural investment.
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One thing we can be sure of is that those who would abandon Bidenomics are unlikely to be the ones suffering the unemployment. – Yours, etc,
FELIX M LARKIN,
Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.
