Do these debts really lead to the future?

For the Zeit economics podcast “Ist das eine Blase?” (“Is this a Bubble?”), Jens Tönnesmann and Zacharias Zacharakis spoke with IW director Michael Hüther about the origins of the constitutional change that enabled increased federal and state borrowing, as well as about the new federal budget. I like the format; picking one economic policy topic at a time and taking a closer look works well. The podcast has a light-hearted tone, making it accessible to listeners who aren’t engaged in economic policy every day. What I miss is a difference in positioning between the two hosts—one Keynes, one Friedman, for example. A bit more friction would benefit the format. You can find the episode, among others, on the Zeit website.