Intelligence Squared is an odd name, but their debates often provide useful perspective.  It’s an odd contest, too: as much fun as it is to think about “who won”, there are also good reason to ignore the votes that determine the “winner”.

In this contest, I expected to appreciate Mark Zandi’s commentary the most.  Yes, his comments are the most balanced, but it’s his partner Robert  Reich who really nails the debate convincingly.  I was expecting him to merely perform his usual “I am the voice of Progressives” role.  Glenn Hubbard and Arthur Laffer performed their expected roles, asking us to think more carefully (with good points) but then not thinking carefully enough themselves.  Of course, that’s the same thing Reich usually does, on the other side of the argument, but listen—he gets to the core of the debated question.

Two formats (I’ve only consumed the first):
Are The Rich Taxed Enough? — audio only and shorter (NPR, the link at the top)
The Rich Are Taxed Enough — with prologue and in video format (direct from IQ2US)