I wouldn't limit it to JUST leftwing ecoconomists.  Or what would be defined as such anyway.

Economists in Academia i believe are around 50/50 in far of what's consider right wing economics and left wing economics.

Though admitidly Academia is just about the only place a leftwing economist can get a job... well outside the political sphere.

I mean it's worth noting that Monetarists are generally defined as the "Right Wing" economists.

Ben Bernake being part of that group.

Though then again... if you compaired American rightwing economics to Europeon economics, it'd come off pretty liberal.  Keynesian economics being rejected by conteintental europe from the get go and therefore hasn't really effected their economic thought quite as much.  Instead being influeced by the Freiberg school.  Which was more liberal then economics at the time, but nowhere near Keynes level liberal.

People always tend to conflate the issue by taking "Economic philosphy" and "Overall government spending' as the same thing... when in reality, Europeon economic views are more conserative.  They just believe stuff like healthcare needs to be provided by the government.

I think if we used honest weights and measures, and embraced Austrian free-market economics over Keynesian economics, we wouldn't be in a recession right now, and we also wouldn't have a deficit or a national debt. It would solve SO MANY problems. And it's so simple.

Well, that's true. Though it seems that where Friedman "accepted" Keynesian arguments and ideas like the Fed in order to criticize them - i.e., I would abolish the Fed but since it exists, here's how it should be run - (something for which Rothbard never forgave him) the new generation of monetarists don't share Friedman's deep natural skepticism towards statist technocracy. Which, for however much homage they pay to Friedman's name and ideas, makes a world of difference.

Yeah, something I didn't get a chance to edit in before you replied...

I guess you could argue that America is "Left Wing" when it comes to economics in the broad sense.

Since Conteintental Europe Rejected Keynsianism, therefore their economic thinkers and policy makers aren't really effected by it.

Instead being influenced by the more conservative (though liberal for it's time) Freiberg school. 

Where Keynsian influences are the weakest, and huge backlash against stimulus exists... is Germany, who was rebuilt on the Frieburg schools back.  Coincidentally, Germany happens to be the most economically sound country in europe.

The Frieberg school suggesting government smothout some things, but being pretty skeptical of government... what, having been born essentially during Nazi Germany's rule.

Or not so coincidentally!

It's even crazier when you consider that Germany was essentially saddled with a bunch of deadweight in Eastern Germany.  No offense to Eastern Germany, but it's still economic deadweight... ironicaly despite arguably the most keynsian like actions ever taken in western german history.

Of course keep in mind Frieburg economics aren't exactly Laizefaire either.  They support strong regulation to keep buisnesses on track fairness wise.  They just believe in getting the hell out of the economies way after the ground rules are set.

Really Ordoliberalism probably explains most "Economically conservative" Americans economic views better then what they're usually painted as.  (For example, anarchy.)

And what's also interesting is how much more goodwill the former West Germans feel towards the former East Germans than vice versa, while polls consistently show that a majority of easterners would just as soon resurrect the GDR. Yet another case of the successful feeling guilty and failures feeling some strange sort of unwarranted pride.

Reading some people on here talk really shows me how little I know about politics. Thanks for the education.

@badgenome - You are the funniest intelligent man. I enjoyed reading your posts.

Wow. I'm at all not sure about that, but thanks!