You can't always get what you want  

Here's Alex Tabarrok claiming that the real culprits behind the debate shenanigans the other day are the public, because it was the most watched debate yet. He's employing this wonderful bit of circular economic logic where your consumption of a good is proof that the good was what you wanted (this is known as revealed preference). Naturally there are a bunch of problems with this, but thinking about small-d democratic engagement as a good is right up there.

It's funny, when I go to Marginal Revolution I'm there to read the words of Tyler Cowen. If I had my way, Tyler would have a solo blog, but unfortunately the exact product I want just isn't out there, so I bite the bullet -- which means occasionally I end up reading something really inane from Alex. This may somehow be what I deserve (?), but it's certainly not what I want.