We Need A Milton Friedman Of Empirical Economics

Not often, but sometimes I like to piq a piece on the "state of the economics profession", as I think it is relevant to the broader economics debate. But often such pieces are not written for the interested non-economist. 

Enter Noah Smith. He has a very good grasp of what is going on in the economics profession, and the writing skills and imagination to make it accessible to everyone. This piece is no different. In it, he runs us through the impact that Milton Friedman had on the economics debate in the US, before considering whether Paul Krugman is the new Friedman (spoiler: he's very close). 

But, Noah argues, what we really need is someone who can explain the empirical side of economics—that is, the side that looks at the real world, at data, to see what is really going on in the economy—to be prominently represented. 

This should be someone with an unquestioned academic pedigree, who is also good at boiling down a complex academic literature in ways laypeople can understand. Someone who can sit in front of both a camera and a keyboard, patiently but entertainingly explaining the world of empirics to the world at large.

He ends with a few suggestions who that might be. Have a look.