The drawing of specious analogies seems to have been key to A. Barton Hinkle’s editorializing modus operandi. In this case, it operates on multiple levels. He first equated hard science with economic “science” and insinuated that the laws of each were immutable and irresistible. He then suggested that denial of climate change by the right parallels the left’s belief that a higher minimum wage would not eliminate jobs. After a look into the research on the consequences of minimum-wage hikes, a reply was sent to The Richmond Times-Dispatch, it was printed, and I was “correspondent of the day” again. Huzzah, huzzah.
A. Barton Hinkle, “Is It Time to Start Dismissing ‘Economics Deniers’?” The Richmond Times-Dispatch, 12 June 2017, A13 (https://richmond.com/opinion/editorial/a-barton-hinkle-column-is-it-time-to-start-dismissing-economics-deniers/article_c03ebb06-7321-5477-96df-2822a131b3ba.html).
“It’s Too Early to Draw Conclusions,” The Richmond Times-Dispatch, 20 June 2017, A10 (https://richmond.com/opinion/letters-to-editor/cod-july-20-2017-its-too-early-to-draw-conclusions/article_2f9c5a97-0b2c-547e-98c5-bd054702cb5a.html).