Taking sides

Students who took Senior Seminar with me remember (hopefully) the segments named "Taking Sides" where a significant, current business or economics issue was debated in class. Today's New York Times contains two articles, apparently written independently, that make an outstanding point/counterpoint of progressive and "conservative" politics. Notable is the context each writer provides.
Columbia University's Jeffrey Sachs' position

George Mason Univ.'s Tyler Cowen's position