Contra Krugman

Contra Krugman


Latest Episodes

Ep. 115 Brutal: Contra Krugman Takes on Krugman's P.C. List of America's Sins
December 02, 2017

In one of the most heated episodes ever, Bob and Tom take apart Krugman's apologies for not fully appreciating the extent of his "white privilege," and for the things he says he once appreciated about America that are now disappearing: toleration (no, he'

Ep. 114 What's Wrong With Keynes, in a Nutshell
November 25, 2017

No Krugman column this week for us; instead we step back and look at the big picture: what exactly do Keynesians get wrong in their understanding of the economy?

Ep. 113 Will Tax Cuts Mean Millions of Lost Manufacturing Jobs?
November 18, 2017

Krugman argues that the GOP tax plan, even on its own terms, would blow up the trade deficit and lead to millions of lost manufacturing jobs. We teach the economics behind his argument, but also mention--get ready for this--that Krugman leaves out two big

Ep. 112 Don't Get Excited About Tax Cuts, Says Krugman; Results Will Be Pitiful
November 11, 2017

Krugman says Republicans are expecting too much from the corporate income tax rate cut they're proposing. Is he right?

Ep. 111 Cutting Corporate Taxes Helps Only "The Rich," Says Krugman
November 04, 2017

This week, Krugman disputes the claim that reductions in corporate tax rates help anyone but the super-rich. So we explain to him how they work.

Ep. 110 Krugman Demands We Admit Our Mistakes, Embrace the Fed
October 28, 2017

Krugman thinks everyone who disagrees with him on monetary policy has been decisively refuted and ought to be ridiculed or ignored. The Fed has done great work, he says. He also insists that unlike him, we refuse to admit our mistakes. That's a lot of fo

Ep. 109 LIVE from the Contra Cruise: Do People Behave the Way Economists Predict?
October 21, 2017

Krugman is a fan of Richard Thaler, winner of the Nobel Prize in economics, and speaks in favor of Thaler's argument that real people often don't act like the calculating robots of neoclassical lore. Thaler is right about that, but we've got a bunch of pu

Ep. 108 Do We Need an Interventionist at the Fed?
October 16, 2017

Krugman is concerned that Trump will appoint a hands-off Fed chairman who hasn't learned the lessons of history. We challenge the hidden premise in there.

Ep. 107 The Problems With Tax Reform
October 08, 2017

Krugman complains that what we know so far about a potential Trump tax reform plan is not good -- it would give most relief to millionaires and billionaires. We discuss Rand Paul's opposition to the plan, and what genuine tax reform should really do.

Ep. 106 One of the Top Krugman Errors Ever, Literally Out of Economics 101
October 01, 2017

Krugman says: who cares if high marginal income tax rates make people work less, or lower rates would give them an incentive to make them work more? It's all a wash, says Krugman: if they work more they also earn more, so they get all the gains and societ

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