Spender of last resort

I hope that your readers see through José Azel’s knee-jerk right-wing comparison of public and private economy in his Nov. 25 Other Views column, Parable of broken window. The problem in economic downturns isn’t that money could be better spent in some imagined ways, but that it is not being spent at all, by anyone. In those circumstances government should be the spender of last resort to stimulate the economy.

Azel would be wiser to be reading John Maynard Keynes, whose thinking got the world out of the Great Depression and every downturn since, than obscure 19th century French essayists. Thank goodness the people elected President Obama rather the reincarnation of Herbert Hoover which Mr. Azel is advocating.

Martin R. Motes, Redland

Productive column

Re José Azel’s Nov. 25 column, Parable of broken window, thanks for publishing his tutorial. It is always a challenge and a pleasure to wrestle with his provocative columns, and more productive activity than crossword puzzles.

Mark Shyman, Miami Beach