[Vision2020] Wal-Mart impact studies

Fri Sep 8 07:40:38 PDT 2006

Mr. Harkins,

I attended Steve Peterson's presentation to the Chamber.  I expected an
objective presentation.  It was not.  I believe many others were
disappointed including Bill Parks who expressed dismay about the bias during
the meeting.  I'm wondering why Steve or the Chamber didn't disclose that he
was hired to do a pro-Wal-Mart job and why they won't release the data used
in his presentation after he publicly announced that he would.  

I also find it amazing that you express an opinion on something you didn't
attend.  That makes me wonder about your other assumptions.  Like your
assumption that I agree with you because I didn't respond to your long
winded essay.  Wrong again.  

B. J. Swanson

  _____  

From: Jeff Harkins [mailto:jeffh at moscow.com] 
Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 9:09 AM
To: bjswan at moscow.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Wal-Mart impact studies

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 Petersons 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> 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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