Krugman is the perfect proof of the fact that the entire field of economics is populated by charlatans.
His track record on predictions is worse than flipping a coin.
Some do, most don't. Most economists are just trying to publish their work in peer reviewed journals. The one that have time to talk on mass media every weeks are not regular economist. Krugman had some great papers, but he is definitely not considered as a researcher anymore by the profession.
> Allowing completely free trade will be great he said. Prices will be lowered and the economy will run more efficiently. Maybe that’s true, but it also hollowed out the U.S. manufacturing base and consequently the middle class. You don’t see articles like that anymore.
The HOS model, commonly accepted in the trade literature that Krugman knows well, is very clear about the effect of free trade (even if the model could be regared as too simplistic): it lowers the prices and increases total production, however, it creates unequal gains (or even loss) within countries. The standard policy recommandation among trade economists is public polices should be aimed to losers using a fraction of gains from trade.
> Biden official says protecting US steel a national security issue [1]
on the front page of the Financial Times.
[1] https://www.ft.com/content/e1f33362-2c36-4f99-9b11-7dcd82ee7...
Citation needed.
Edit: Just as a counter point consider reading this article: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-schiller-shrinki...
[1] https://www.marketwatch.com/amp/story/china-really-is-to-bla...
Middle class in cities is shrinking, and most American cities of any notable size are split between knowledge workers and a service worker underclass. That’s why so many American cities are split between very nice neighborhoods aNd those that resemble 80s Detroit.