[Vision2020] Wal-Mart impact studies

[Jeff Harkins]

Ms. Swanson,

Since the work by Mr. Peterson was completed as a consulting project, 
I fail to see why you would denigrate his services because he 
accepted a fee for his work. Do you use similar references for all 
professional folks who earn fees for providing services - e.g., 
lawyers, accountants, dentists, doctors?

Asserting that his presentation was "totally biased" is a rather 
serious indictment.  Fortunately, because the work was completed 
under the protocols of academic research, it will be relatively easy 
to determine whether there was a significant and/or persistent bias 
introduced in his model.

Since you posted on a public forum, please enlighten us as to your 
assessment of his model.  There are a number of issues that you might 
have concerns about, including

    * Are his assumptions inappropriate?
    * Is his econometric model predisposed to an outcome?
    * Does he exclude relevant variables?
    * Does he include irrelevant variables?
    * Does the model suffer from multi-collinearity?
    * Does the model suffer from auto-correlation?
    * Does he fail to properly interpret the research findings
    * Did he fail to note potential shortcomings or limitations of his work?
Again, please provide some rationale for your assertion of bias - my 
instincts suggest that unless you can point to specific elements of 
bias that you are invoking the "I don't like the message, so let's 
kill the messenger" strategy.

Your charge that Mr Peterson behaved as a "smart alec" is 
interesting.  I don't know exactly what you mean by that.  But I was 
not at the Moscow Chamber session and have no first-hand knowledge of 
that presentation.

However, I have heard Steve present on numerous occasions and I have 
always known him to be polite, knowledgeable, forthright and willing 
to answer questions related to his research.  Perhaps you could 
expand on your assertion of "smart alec"?

Finally, since you did not offer any additional comments on my 
contributions to understanding Barry Lynn's writings, am I to assume 
that you agree with me that Mr. Lynn is advancing an agenda of 
returning the US economy to a more highly-regulated by government 
state (e.g., pre-Reagan era)?  And as you ponder that, are you 
willing to have the US banking industry return to the level and type 
of regulation that existed before the Reagan era?



At 10:23 PM 9/6/2006, you wrote:
>Mr. Harkins,
>
>A deeper meaning of Hack:  Economist for Hire.
>
>After Steve Peterson's totally biased and smart alec presentation to 
>the Chamber of Commerce on August 23, I think he earned the title 
>and lost credibility.  I hope he can manage to be a bit more 
>objective when he presents "Why is Moscow Growing" to the City 
>Council later this month.
>
>B. J. Swanson
>
>
>----------
>From: Jeff Harkins [mailto:jeffh at moscow.com]
>Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 10:07 AM
>To: bjswan at moscow.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Wal-Mart impact studies
>
>Ms. Swanson,
>One final point - please explain the reference to "The Hack" 
>inserted between Steve and Peterson.  What exactly are you 
>attempting to say with that moniker? Is it just simple name calling 
>or do you have a deeper meaning in mind?
>
>
>At 06:27 AM 9/6/2006, you wrote:
>
>Steve,
>
>Thanks for posting.  I hope Jeff Harkins and Steve "The Hack" Peterson read
>it, too.  Here's the link:
>
>         http://www.harpers.org/BreakingTheChain.html
>
>B. J. Swanson
>
>------------------
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [ mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
>On Behalf Of Stephen Cooke
>Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 2:17 PM
>To: vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: [Vision2020] Wal-Mart impact studies
>
>fyi,
>SCC
>
>Barry C. Lynn
>"Breaking the Chain: The Anti-Trust Case Against Wal Mart:" Harper's Mag.
>(July '06).
>
>
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