20VC Larry Summers on How to Manage Inflation; Should We Increase Rates Even Higher, Why We Need To Change The US Tax System, Why Europe is a Museum, China is a Jail and Bitcoin is an Experiment & How a Trump Win Would Hurt the US Economy

In a dynamic conversation with host Harry Stebbings on "20 VC," Larry Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary and prominent economist, delves into pressing economic issues, including the enforcement of tax laws to bridge the gap between owed and collected taxes, which could recoup up to $8 trillion over a decade. Summers advocates for realistic economic assessments over hopeful diagnoses, warning that delaying necessary monetary policy adjustments could lead to greater economic disruptions. He also discusses the potential of AI, the importance of managing inflation to protect society's most vulnerable, and the misconceptions surrounding crypto's utility. Additionally, Summers expresses concern over Trump's potential impact on the rule of law and the economy, while remaining ultimately optimistic about the United States' resilience and capacity for renewal.

• Larry Summers provides a succinct characterization of various regions and Bitcoin.
• He suggests Europe is stagnant, Japan is aging, China is repressive, and Bitcoin is experimental.
• Larry Summers emphasizes the United States' tendency to eventually find solutions after considering all other options.
• The importance of enforcing tax law is mentioned as a crucial first step.

"Europe's a museum, Japan's a nursing home, China's a jail, and bitcoin's an experiment. The United States always does the right thing, but only after exhausting all the alternatives."

The quote is a metaphorical assessment of different regions' socio-economic conditions and attitudes towards innovation, with a critical yet ultimately optimistic view of the United States' problem-solving approach.

• Harry Stebbings introduces Larry Summers, highlighting his significant roles in the U.S. government, academia, and international finance.
• Larry Summers' extensive experience positions him as a leading economist with insights into economic policy and governance.
• Sarah Cannon at CO2 is thanked for making the introduction possible.

"And so I'm so excited to welcome Larry Summers, former treasury secretary and one of America's leading economists."

This quote introduces Larry Summers, establishing his credibility and authority as a guest on the podcast.

• Larry Summers discusses the influence of his economist parents on his analytical thinking from a young age.
• He was encouraged to ask economist-like questions and to consider marginal analysis and cost-benefit comparisons.
• Summers' upbringing involved a rational approach to understanding social phenomena.

"I came to believe in thinking analytically and thinking rationally about social phenomena."

The quote reflects Summers' early exposure to economic thinking, which shaped his approach to problem-solving and policy analysis.

• Larry Summers shares an anecdote about teaching his daughter Ruthie about monopolies and competition.
• The story illustrates the challenges of explaining economic concepts to children and the unexpected responses they can have.
• Summers acknowledges the role of economics in his children's upbringing, with mixed results.

"Maybe Ruthie learned something out of that whole conversation, but I sort of learned something about how people react to market mechanisms."

The quote summarizes a personal experience that highlights the unpredictability of teaching economic principles to children and the broader implications for understanding market dynamics.

• Larry Summers critiques the Federal Reserve's approach to inflation targeting, suggesting a disconnect between desired outcomes and reality.
• He argues that the Fed's optimistic policies in 2021 contributed to inflationary pressures.
• Summers stresses the importance of policymakers distinguishing between their aspirations and the actual state of the economy.

"I think a very important attribute as a policymaker is you have to not get confused about what you want and what is."

This quote emphasizes the need for realism in economic policymaking, particularly in the context of inflation targeting.

• Summers advocates for a realistic economic forecast and timely policy response to signs of excess demand.
• He criticizes the Fed for continuing expansionary policies during a period of rising inflation.
• Summers suggests that the Fed should have signaled awareness of the inflationary environment and applied brakes earlier.

"I would have moved to signal my awareness of that and to start putting my foot on the brakes much sooner than they did."

The quote indicates what Summers believes should have been the Fed's approach to managing the emerging inflationary pressures.

• Larry Summers references the fact that a significant portion of the stimulus funds provided in 2021 remained unspent into 2022 and 2023.
• The delayed spending of these funds is seen as a contributing factor to the persistence of inflation.
• Summers points out the challenge of managing the economy with high-interest rates without causing a downturn.

"The 70% remaining, the stimulus was largely delivered in 2021. Part of the reason why inflation accelerated through much of 2022 was that it was still being spent in 2022, and some of it is still going to be spent in 2023."

This quote explains the delayed impact of stimulus spending on inflation, with implications for economic policy moving forward.

• Larry Summers discusses the difficulty of achieving a soft landing when trying to bring inflation down to its target level.
• He likens the situation to a car that is skidding and at risk of an accident, indicating the economy is in a precarious position.
• Summers believes that an economic downturn might be a necessary side effect of the actions needed to control inflation.
• He criticizes the Federal Reserve for being too slow to respond, suggesting this will lead to greater economic disruption.

"And I don't think we're likely to be able to bring inflation down to its target level without some kind of economic downturn."

This quote emphasizes Summers' view that controlling inflation will likely result in an economic downturn, which although not desired, is a necessary outcome to address the inflation issue.

"Sometimes a medicine that's necessary has unpleasant side effects."

Summers uses this analogy to explain that just like medicine with side effects, the measures to control inflation may have negative consequences, but they are necessary for long-term economic health.

• Summers argues that interest rates will have to be raised higher due to the delay in the Federal Reserve's response.
• He does not believe that rates need to reach the extreme levels of the Volcker era unless the problem is neglected for an extended period.
• The necessity of an independent central bank is stressed to ensure decisions are made with a long-term perspective.
• Summers warns against short-term fixes like printing more money, as this can exacerbate inflation and lead to a vicious cycle.

"We're going to have to raise interest rates higher than we would have if we raised them more promptly."

This quote indicates that the Federal Reserve will need to increase interest rates more significantly now due to earlier inaction, which will have a greater impact on the economy.

"In the short run, it's always easier to print more money and paper over problems."

Summers criticizes short-term monetary solutions, such as printing money, as ultimately harmful and ineffective in the long run due to the inflationary expectations they create.

• Summers provides perspective on the U.S. national debt, suggesting that a growing economy can sustain growing debt if managed properly.
• He emphasizes the importance of comparing debt service to cash flow rather than just the debt to earnings ratio.
• Summers sees the current path of national debt as unsustainable and advocates for increased revenue collection.
• He believes spending cuts will be challenging due to demographic changes and rising healthcare costs, among other factors.

"A growing economy can have a permanently growing government debt."

Summers argues that it's possible for a growing economy to sustain an increasing level of government debt, drawing a parallel with how companies manage their debt.

"Ultimately we are on an unsustainable path."

This quote recognizes the current trajectory of U.S. debt as unsustainable, necessitating significant policy changes, particularly in revenue generation.

• Summers suggests enforcing tax laws more effectively to close the gap between taxes owed and collected.
• He proposes increasing revenue by addressing tax evasion and improving IRS enforcement.
• Summers advocates for reasonable corporate tax rates and global tax cooperation to prevent tax avoidance.
• He criticizes tax loopholes such as carried interest and like-kind real estate exchanges that allow for lower taxation on certain income types.

"We need to beef up the IRS very substantially so it can collect taxes that are owed."

Summers emphasizes the need for a stronger IRS to enforce tax laws and reduce the gap between taxes owed and collected, which could significantly increase government revenue.

"There's no real reason why the fact that we are paid a bonus based on our performance should be a reason why our incomes should be taxed at a lower rate than those of the people who clean the floors in the buildings that we work in."

Summers argues against the preferential tax treatment of carried interest, stating that performance-based income should not be taxed at a lower rate than regular income.

• Harry Stebbings expresses concern over progressive taxation, feeling it disincentivizes hard work and is unfair to those who work long hours and achieve success.
• Summers did not get to respond to Stebbings' point due to the interruption in the transcript.

"I work 9100. And I have done for eight years. And now I get taxed 50%. That doesn't seem fair."

Stebbings shares his personal experience with taxation, questioning the fairness of a progressive tax system that taxes high earners at a significant rate despite their hard work and dedication.

• Progressive taxation taxes individuals at different rates based on their income level.
• Larry Summers points out that marginal dollars mean more to lower-income individuals than to the wealthy.
• Economists have studied the effects of high tax rates on work and entrepreneurship.
• Summers questions the effectiveness of the current top federal income tax rate (37%) in discouraging work among high earners.
• The payroll tax is highlighted as a significant tax that stops at a certain income level ($150,000).

"Your brother gets taxed at a lower rate on, say, the first $100,000 of income he earns. Get taxed at a lower rate on the first $100,000 of income that you earn. The only difference is that you seem to earn a lot more money than your brother." "And on the extra money you earn, you are paying a higher fraction of it to the government."

This quote explains the concept of progressive taxation where both low and high earners are taxed at the same rate for the initial portion of their income, but high earners pay a higher rate on additional income.

"My guess is it means more to somebody who has $10,000. So if we have to take some away, it's better to take some away from those who are less painful."

Larry Summers suggests that taking a marginal dollar from a wealthy person is less harmful than taking it from someone with a lower income, due to the differing value of that dollar to each person.

"But do I think that the current top federal income tax rate of 37% really is working to discourage very heavily work? I'm not sure that it is for very many people."

Summers expresses skepticism about the current top tax rate's ability to discourage work, indicating that it may not be as effective as intended.

"The biggest tax we have in the United States, the tax that collects more tax than the income tax, the payroll tax, you don't pay any payroll tax if your income is above $150,000 on all the income above $150,000."

This quote highlights the structure of the payroll tax and how it ceases to apply beyond a certain income threshold, which has implications for tax fairness and revenue.

• Larry Summers addresses the possibility of tax evasion through expatriation.
• He dismisses the idea that moving abroad is a practical way for American citizens to avoid U.S. taxes.
• Summers references "economic Benedict Arnold's" who renounce their citizenship but notes that this is not common.
• He argues that higher tax rates in the past did not inhibit economic growth, and maintaining or increasing current taxes is feasible.

"If you're an american citizen, you cannot avoid taxes by moving your global income wherever you are."

Summers clarifies that U.S. citizens are taxed on global income, making tax evasion through relocation impractical for most.

"But most people don't want to renounce their american citizenship because it comes with a great deal of benefit."

This quote indicates that the benefits of American citizenship outweigh the tax implications for most individuals, making renunciation an unlikely choice.

"I think the argument for cutting high tax rates is pretty much indefensible, starting from where we are now."

Summers argues against the idea that high tax rates need to be cut, suggesting that the current rates are defensible and could potentially be increased.

• Larry Summers discusses the durability of the US dollar as the world's reserve currency.
• He compares the potential loss of reserve currency status to historical precedents, such as Britain.
• Summers critiques other currencies and highlights the advantages of the US dollar.
• He expresses optimism about the dollar's continued dominance unless the U.S. makes severe mistakes.

"So we may make serious enough mistakes as a country that people no longer want to hold the dollar. But if we make mistakes that grave, the fact that people aren't rushing for dollars will be the least of our problems."

Summers suggests that the loss of reserve currency status would be a minor issue compared to the larger problems that would cause such a loss.

"It's a joke, but not without some element of truth to say that Europe's a museum, Japan's a nursing home, China's a jail, and bitcoin's an experiment."

This quote humorously critiques other currencies and economies, implying the relative stability and attractiveness of the US dollar.

• Larry Summers comments on Europe's challenges in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
• He notes the lack of major companies emerging from Europe compared to the U.S., China, and Israel.
• Summers attributes this to possible financial system structures, cultural factors, and regulatory rigidity.

"Europe has not been a creator and scaler of great enterprises."

Summers observes that Europe has fallen behind in creating and scaling large, successful companies.

"No one would check into a hotel if they thought they might not be allowed to check out."

This analogy by Summers illustrates the issue of hiring and firing rigidity in Europe, which can deter companies from taking risks on new hires.

• Larry Summers discusses the challenges facing China, focusing on capital flight and declining birth rates.
• He interprets these trends as indicators of a lack of confidence among the Chinese population.
• Summers questions the optimism for China's future given these internal issues.

"If you're thinking about a society where people don't want to have children and they want to take their capital out, that's a society where the broad swath of the society is showing a lack of confidence."

Summers uses demographic and economic trends to infer a societal lack of confidence in China's future.

• Larry Summers expresses a lack of confidence in any specific nation but remains optimistic about the United States.
• He acknowledges current challenges in the U.S. but cites America's history of overcoming adversity.

"But I am ultimately really quite optimistic about the United States."

Despite acknowledging various problems, Summers maintains a positive outlook on the United States' ability to address and surmount challenges.

• America's resilience is credited to its capacity for alarm, reflection, and renewal.
• Challenges like presidential assassinations and Watergate in the 1970s led to societal changes.
• Despite often being attributed to Churchill, the quote about America doing the right thing after exhausting all alternatives reflects this resilience.

"Those predictions, those worries, those alarms set in motion, the changes that have made America such a resilient society."

The quote emphasizes the role of past crises in fostering America's ability to adapt and improve.

• Larry Summers expresses concern that a second Trump administration could harm the American economy.
• He draws parallels between Trump's potential policies and those of Juan Peron in Argentina, which had long-term negative effects.
• Summers fears Trump's policies would undermine the rule of law, alienate international allies, and divide American society.

"I believe very strongly that by undermining the rule of law on which contracts, exchange and property depend, by alienating the rest of the world, and by pitting some groups of Americans against other groups of Americans, and devaluing the idea of unity and common aspiration, that a second Trump administration would do grave damage to the american economy for a sustained period."

Summers outlines the key ways in which he believes Trump's approach would weaken the foundations of the American economy.

• Summers has recently recognized AI as a significant and consequential challenge.
• He believes AI will enhance productivity and benefit both labor and capital.

"The potential importance of AI in changing the way in which we all live as a consequential challenge that all of us need to be thinking about."

This quote reflects Summers' evolving view on the impact of AI on society and the economy.

• Summers asserts that there are immutable laws in economics, similar to those in the sciences.
• He warns against ignoring economic principles, such as the consequences of excessive money printing or price controls.

"There are laws and regularities in economics and social science, just like there are in physical or biological science that cannot be suspended for political convenience."

Summers emphasizes the importance of respecting economic principles when crafting policy to avoid predictable negative outcomes.

• Summers admires Keynes for his rigorous thought, clear expression, and engagement with contemporary issues.

"I have always had enormous admiration for John Maynard Keynes, for the rigor of his thought, the clarity of his expression, and his willingness to always be involved in the issues of the day."

The quote highlights Summers' respect for Keynes' intellectual contributions to economics and public policy.

• Summers argues that not managing inflation is the greatest harm to the poor.
• Effective inflation management and safety nets are crucial for protecting society's most vulnerable.

"The way to hit the poorest parts of society hardest is to not manage inflation."

Summers stresses that controlling inflation is essential for social equity, particularly for the poor.

• Summers sees the potential for crypto to facilitate trustless contracting via blockchain technology.
• He is skeptical about aspects of crypto that fuel speculation or circumvent regulations.

"Probably to facilitate contracting between parties who don't know each other and trust each other through devices like blockchain."

This quote encapsulates Summers' view on the positive applications of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.

• Summers believes in the value of surfacing all facts and considering all perspectives in debate.
• He sees debate as a means to get closer to truth and progress.

"I'm a person who believes that there's no such thing as a bad fact."

Summers clarifies his belief in the importance of transparency and open debate in the pursuit of truth.

• Harry Stebbings expresses appreciation for the discussion with Larry Summers.
• The episode ends with promotional information for Tigas, Secureframe, and Deal, which are sponsors of the podcast.

"Larry, I've absolutely loved this. I so appreciate you and saying my slightly varying questions, but this has been a joy."

Harry Stebbings concludes the podcast by thanking Larry Summers for the engaging conversation.