TightWind is written by Kyle Baxter. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Ezra Klein:

If you’re not in New York City tonight, the short version of what I’m going to say is that the question is based on a category error, and capitalism is neither moral nor immoral, much as a wrench is neither happy nor sad, and the scientific method neither purple not green, and a baseball bat neither your friend nor your enemy. Capitalism is a tool, just as regulation is, and the difficult questions we face are about how and when to use them.

That merely sidesteps the question, because whether capitalism is a “tool” or not, we still must have a moral framework to operate within to decide whether to use it or any other “tool.” Ezra’s framework appears to be that whatever policy works best in achieving his ideal society. By setting this up as a question of what tool to use, rather than what moral principles we should begin with, Ezra skews the discussion toward what is effective in achieving some end state, which is certainly a preferable situation for someone who advocates an end state in society.

That ignores what principles we should base our society and decisions on, and that is a terribly poor framework to operate under.