The biggest problem with Thaler & Sustein’s work is that they fail to apply it consistently. For example, while they argue employer-based retirment schemes should require action to opt-out rather than opt-in, I’ve never heard them say that social secutiry should have a way for people to opt-out.

If Thaler can convince Barack Obama that even a single young and health individual should be able to choose not to be insured independent of what everyone else does, and that there should be a clear and easy way for all US citizens/workers to choose to opt out of social secutiry, I would greatly respect his accomplishment.