Paul Krugman abruptly ended his New York Times column this week after 25 years making economics less dismal for his readers.
The Nobel Prize-winning economist and former Princeton professor viewed the American economy optimistically, praising the gains of the Biden administration despite widespread pessimism over inflation and immigration.
Krugman pointed out the strength of the U.S. recovery from the Covid recession, noting high employment and wage gains.
During the presidential campaign, he blasted Donald Trump’s tariffs, threats to deport immigrants, government cutbacks and pro-billionaire tax policies.
In his farewell column, Krugman lamented America’s loss of a shared optimism since the buoyant days of 2000, when he began writing for the Times.
Rather than the anger and frustration of the working class, Krugman sees the outrage and resentment of billionaires as driving the country’s political turmoil.
Krugman’s decision to end his column is a serious loss for fact-based analysis and political reason as Trump launches his more unfettered second reign.