It is my understanding that there were economists in Roosevelt's 
"Brains Trust" who were not totally convinced of laissez faire.  
Surely these people did not  spring fully grown out of the ground 
immediately upon Roosevelt's election.  But, perhaps there is 
confusion about who is to be credited with being and "economist".

If  only those who  are in favour of laissez faire are economists, 
then Krugman's statement is a  tautology, and so vacuously true.


Robin Neill