Reflecting on Political Debate and Historical Context

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The current state of political debate involves a hangover of discontent, with some suggesting Biden should not talk about the good economy due to ongoing struggles. There is a tendency to forget the impact of the pandemic in 2020, with criticisms of Trump's handling being overshadowed by the shock factor of the crisis. Despite this, Biden faces additional scrutiny, possibly because he was aware of the challenges when taking office after Trump.

We’ll be back on Friday with a new episode. In the meantime, we wanted to share one of our favorite recent episodes from our sister podcast, “Matter of Opinion.”

Why does the economy look so good to economists but feel so bad to voters?

The Nobel laureate economist Paul Krugman joins the hosts on “Matter of Opinion” to discuss why inflation, interest rates and wages aren’t in line with voters’ perception of the economy. Then, they debate with Paul how big of an influence the economy will be on the 2024 presidential election, and which of the two presumed candidates, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, it could benefit. Plus, Ross Douthat’s lessons on aging, through Michael Caine impressions.

Mentioned:

“Believing Is Seeing,” from Paul Krugman’s newsletter

“The Age of Diminished Expectations,” by Paul Krugman

“The Trip” scene: “This Is How Michael Caine Speaks”