It’s cliché to call podcasts wide-ranging. But this conversation, with Nobel-prize winning economist and NY Times columnist Paul Krugman, really is. A sample of what we discuss:- How economists mucked up the climate debate- What a Democratic president should pass first- The politics and policy of Medicare-for-all- Krugman’s three-part test to determine whether a program needs to be paid for (don’t miss this!)- Why Pete Buttigieg is wrong on tuition-free college - Why Andrew Yang is wrong on automation- What the Obama administration got wrong, and right, in the financial crisis- The means-testing vs. universal program debate is a false dichotomy - What it would take to revitalize the economies of middle and rural America- The productivity puzzle- The antitrust problem- Geographic inequality- Whether elite or mass opinion is the key constraint on policy ambition- Path dependence in social welfare states- Whether private insurers should exist And much more. Don’t miss this one.References: Krugman's upcoming book, Arguing with Zombies Book recommendations: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume Plagues and Peoples by William McNeil Collected essays of George Orwell

My book is available for pre-order! You can find it at www.EzraKlein.com.Submit questions for our upcoming "Ask Me Anything" at [email protected] can subscribe to Ezra's new podcast Impeachment, explained on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, or your favorite podcast app. Credits:Producer and Editor - Jeff GeldResearcher - Roge KarmaEngineer - Cynthia GilLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices