Ron Paul is definitely a Libertarian. He wants to return to the good old days when oligarchs like George Pullman could force workers to live in company towns. I'm sure Paul would like to go back even further in time to the days of serfs and lords: personal property and all that. Jonathan is correct about the Religious Right's justification of cruelty to others. My favorite quote of theirs is "God helps those who help themselves." Too bad it's not actually in the Bible, rather in Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac. Early Christians started soup kitchens for the poor and helped widows so they would not be forced to become prostitutes. Jesus said that is is more difficult for a rich man to enter Heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. The typical Republican, and Democrats like John Edwards, couldn't possibly be more unlike Jesus.

Oliver Reichenstein, Brad DeLong, and most of the people posting comments here must be short, otherwise they would have mentioned the greatest benefit of flying business class from a tall person's point of view: not arriving maimed. There is also premium economy, and not just the extra few inches that United sells; SAS, BA, EVA, and other airlines offer eight or so more inches of legroom than steerage. This product is targeted at people who only want the extra legroom, not the unlimited booze, better meal and service, and status of business class. How does premium economy fit into your pay walls discussion?

Most economists like Krugman are like the workman who only owns a hammer; everything looks like a nail. The solution for our unemployment problem is not via continued stimulus for one very basic reason: the rules have changed. In the old days, we would have a downturn. Eventually people would run out of widgets and start buying more. Factories would start hiring again and the recovery would begin. Today the above is already happening with one important difference: all the hiring is being done in China and India. All the stimulus is being used by Wall Street to become even wealthier and by globalized capitalists to open factories overseas. Globalization is the ugly witch waiting for the American version of Hansel and Gretel to open the door. Kill the H-1B and L-1 visa programs. Eliminate tax advantages for outsourcing and keep going down that road, e.g. reward companies which manufacture in the USA. Reinstalling the firewall between banks and casinos is also essential, as is limiting commercial bank size to 0.1% of GDP or less. After the firewall is back in place, allow casinos to go into bankruptcy when they mess up.