03
Sep
2016
Contra Krugman Episode 50 — What’s Causing Maternal Deaths in Texas?
There has been a spike in maternal deaths in Texas. The authors of the study documenting this disturbing fact don’t know the cause, but Paul Krugman is pretty sure it’s misogynist (and racist) Republicans. Tom and I investigate.
Not sure you really got him there. Krugman says the rise does coincide with the welfare changes, he does not say that they were caused by this. You say they coincide with other things. Krugman has figures for the decrease in welfare and the decrease in planned parenthood clinics. You say that at one point 1000 people a day moved there, but you do not say how much of an increase this is over the previous years. Given that there are 400,000 births a year it seems unlikely that even this immigration could explain the doubling.
The doubling is extraordinary. It is certainly far too early to lay blame on any one cause. But Krugman’s explanation seems as plausible as yours.