You report that a number of states in the United States are now threatening economic recovery by subscribing to a “reverse Keynesianism” of taxing more and spending less (“Keynes in Reverse,” December 5, 2009). California is most important among them, but nine other states are treading a similar course. All together, these states represent more than a third of America’s economy and population. But reverse Keynesianism seems to be thriving all around the world, as well. When in trouble, governments at all levels seem to reason in a similar way: taxing more and spending less comes forth, as it were, naturally. This “gut reaction” of politicians shows clearly enough that Keynes’ teaching is at best confined to economics textbooks. Even those who have gone through basic courses in economics have relegated the story to the Great Depression. Pre-Keynesian economic thinking has thus returned in earnest eighty years later.