Dishonest? Disingenuous? Or are they just five-year-olds?

Ezra Klein just about smacks his forehead in disbelief at this statement by David Boaz (executive VP of Cato) in his Libertarianism: A Primer.

First, we are not as prosperous as we could be. If our economy were growing at the rate it grew from 1943 to 1973, our GDP would be 40 percent larger than it is.

Leaving aside the fact that (as Ezra correctly pointed out) the period in question is not exactly a freemarketeer's dream come true, what with WWII and the GI bill and the Great Society programs and all, there's still something very funny about that statement. It's so curiously simplistic and circular. If only I didn't fall down the stairs, my foot would not be broken. If only every day was payday, I would have a lot more money. In fact, it reminded me of that all-time greatest post on Libertarian, Belle Waring's If Wishes Were Horses, Beggers Would Ride -- A Pony!

By the way, everyone, I will be guest-blogging chez Ezra this weekend, along with Daniel Munz. Should be fun.