Paul Romer Has a Plan

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Romer joins Sarah and Steve to discuss his plan to safely ...

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Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Romer joins Sarah and Steve to discuss his plan to safely and responsibly reopen the U.S. economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.


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  1. DUDLEY BOURNE

    Paul Romer's plan is the best that I have heard up to this point. In my view, a potential weakness of it is the effect of international travel. The US is not a closed system. His testing plan, even if well funded and executed, would not result in Covid 19 being permanently eradicated unless it included extensive, permanent testing at airports and other points of entry. (Maybe I missed that in the discussion.)

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    Jlenhikes

    Great podcast, as usual. I noticed that Mr. Romer includes some big presumptions and estimates in his “math." It would be more persuasive to me if the math up to this point had been reliable. With the soft openings in states that have not been hard hit by coronavirus, I’m wondering if the hundred billion dollar testing model survives if there aren’t any major negative consequences in those states. How many times have we gone back and said, Wow, listen to what so-and-so was saying two months ago. Things sure have changed?

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    Keith Francis

    This is the best approach for this pandemic situation. Thank you for this great conversation. Hopefully the folks in Washington were listening.

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    Kevin Johnson

    A really good one. His plan sounds convincing to me...but I would still like to see you evaluate the case Dr. Birx and her allies make for more targeted approach to testing. I’m not convinced health experts all agree with Romer. Or does The Dispatch think Birx et al DO agree with Romer, but won’t say so because of limited capacity to test? Someone below posits that the capacity limit is the reason everyone isn’t on the massive testing train. I am always suspicious of the argument that “what we need to do is very, very clear...we just lack the will” while I see respected experts dissenting and their views not being fully evaluated. What am I missing here?

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  5. Pat Ketsche

    The value of testing is clear. The devil, however, is in the details. Two key questions come to mind:

    First, would testing be mandatory or voluntary? Mandated by private institutions (employers) and quasi-public institutions (schools) or by the state or federal governments? Can any institution require tests as a condition of participation?

    Second, what are the implications of the results? Is quarantine enforced against those testing positive? Do we rely on their willingness to self-isolate? Do tested individuals retain any right of privacy with respect to the results? What rights do others have that can be enforced against those testing positive?

    I hope those of us who see testing as a key component of moving ahead in a world with the corona virus will start to seriously address these questions. Maybe a voluntary testing regime would be widely accepted and those testing positive would voluntarily self-isolate. So far, the behavior of many suggests that this is not always the case. Maybe voluntary compliance with testing and self-isolation doesn't need to be perfect for this approach to work, but I'd like to understand the level of compliance and the risk reduction trade off of a voluntary system. Would Paul Romer be able to return to address these questions? Thank you.

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      JohnF

      I think your first point shows the greatest glitch in the proposed plan, Romer's plan assumes that everyone will participate in the testing process. Given the number of AR-15 totin', Non-Mask wearin', Freedom-lovin' attendees at the various recent demonstrations, it's fairly predictable to assume that there will be a significant number of people who will consider that resistance to taking a simple test on a regular basis is the only thing holding back the Communist Hordes.

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  6. ROBERT

    May I share this podcast link with people who could possibly, if only slightly, help with the testing movement?
    This needs to be prioritized ASAP.
    Just this morning I learned that I was around someone, in manner far too close than I wanted, who was around someone who might have COVID. The source individual has fever and flu like symptoms but will not be tested until tomorrow- with results likely not back until Wednesday.
    So until Wednesday I've got to further upgrade my social distancing- i.e. my family. I'll gladly do this. But if I could get tested today with rapid results, I would know much more specifically what actions I need to be taking.
    Yes, I'm for testing now!!
    May I share the link more broadly than normal?

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  7. ROBERT

    This is the best idea and most well thought out plan I've heard. It provides me a ray of hope - just as I was about to lose all hope. As Romer stated: does anyone have a better idea?
    If we only got as far as medical professionals and patients, nursing homes, and schools, that would be huge. Aloowing families to be with their nursing home bound parents during their final days would be wonderful. I'm biased, but getting kids back to school and on campuses would be a major improvement.
    Once we started down this path, maybe we could build enough momentum to get beyond just these three places.
    Thanks for having Paul Romer on. Sarah was right, it was an exciting podcast!

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    Bradley Alpert

    Paul Romer's plan to test, test, test, is the best approach until we have a vaccine, as his cost / benefit argument makes clear. Regarding Sarah's question about his political experience, he's not exactly a naif. In addition to him previously heading the World Bank, his father Roy Romer was governor of Colorado for three terms (elected 1986, 1990, 1994).

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  9. ROBERT

    Most uplifting podcasts I've listened to. Helps my psyche tremendously.
    Thanks for bringing us this one!!!!

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    Tom Self

    I never really cared about Paul Romer... now I want to have him over for dinner (whenever we can do that again). Thank you and keep this kind of content up!

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