Contra Krugman

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 35 Debt Default: Good or Bad? May 15, 2016

Show notes

You'll never guess: Krugman contradicts himself this week, but only Bob Murphy, who knows Krugman's columns inside and out, caught him. This week the topic is whether it's a good idea at some point to repay the national debt at less than face value. Krugman is horrified, so maybe it's a good idea....

Show notes for Ep. 35

Ep. 34 What the World Needs Is More Spending May 07, 2016

Show notes

Surveying the economic stagnation in Europe, all Krugman can come up with is an alleged need for more government spending.

Show notes for Ep. 34

Ep. 33 Krugman and Hamilton Sitting in a Tree Apr 30, 2016

Show notes

According to Krugman, we should embrace the ideas of Alexander Hamilton, particularly his view that the national debt is in fact a "national blessing." We are unconvinced!

Show notes for Ep. 33

Ep. 32 Why Antitrust Is the Problem, Not the Solution Apr 23, 2016

Show notes

Krugman is now blaming poor economic times (but hasn't he been trying to tell us things are much better than the stupid right-wingers say?) on a lack of competition. Lax antitrust enforcement is the problem! Sure it is. In fact, antitrust itself is the problem, as we show in this week's episode.

Ep. 31 The Nonsensical Case for More Regulation Apr 15, 2016

Show notes

Krugman is upset this week at a judicial ruling that held that the government's case for naming MetLife a Systemically Important Financial Institution (SIFI) was inadequate and should be thrown out. Sure, it's impossible to nail down what the criteria for a SIFI are, says Krugman, but so what? We take on the whole issue -- not just MetLife, but the whole idea of extra regulation for so-called SIFIs.

Show notes for Ep. 31

Ep. 30 Obama's Been a Great President? Not So Fast Apr 09, 2016

Show notes

Krugman argues that blinkered conservatives and cynical progressives alike have failed to appreciate the successes of the Obama presidency. He concentrates on four areas: the economy, health care, financial reform, and climate change. We concentrate on those areas, too -- and come up with rather different conclusions. Dan Mitchell, Senior Fellow of the Cato Institute, joins us as a special guest this week.

Show notes for Ep. 30

Ep. 29 We're Told to Fear Globalization, but We Shouldn't Apr 02, 2016

Show notes

This week Krugman says we ought to acknowledge that there are losers in international trade, and that we should introduce government subsidies, rather than trade restrictions, to help them. He says right-wing ideologues have failed to make note of these losers, even though he himself failed to mention them in his own scholarly work on trade.

But we spend much of the episode defending the unpopular view that globalization is overwhelmingly and indisputably a good thing.

Show notes for Ep. 29

Ep. 28 Income Mobility Really Does Exist, Paul Krugman Mar 26, 2016

Show notes

We managed to dig out some economics from yet another standard Krugman attack on the Republican Party. This time it's his skepticism about the existence of very much income mobility in America. We'll say this: if government programs had the record of success in this area that the (hampered) market economy has, Krugman would never let us hear the end of it.

Show notes for Ep. 28

Ep. 27 Is Free Trade Good or Bad? Mar 18, 2016

Show notes

Krugman discusses how economists should respond to the growth in sympathy for protectionism. Along the way, his Keynesian assumptions lead him to oddball conclusions. Bob and Tom also spend some time explaining the classical case for free trade and discussing whether that case has been vitiated in light of modern conditions.

Show notes for Ep. 27

Ep. 26: Trump, China, Trade, and Currency Manipulation: It's All Here Mar 11, 2016

Show notes

Krugman says both Trump and Romney get the economics of trade wrong, but as usual, it's Krugman who makes his share of mistakes. With Bob on a lecture tour of Europe, Tom is joined this week by David Howden, chairman of the department of business and economics at St. Louis University's Madrid campus.

Show notes for Ep. 26

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected