In this opening episode for Platypus Economics, Justin Wolfers explains why the federal budget deficit is one of the best examples of how economics can clarify a debate that politics often mangles. The central point is simple: deficits are not automatically good or bad, but a tool. And the only serious question is whether borrowing makes sense given the economy, the emergency, and the country’s ability to pay.

In a crisis, large deficits are often smart policy—stabilizing incomes, supporting jobs, and keeping an economic downturn from becoming a disaster. But today’s U.S. deficit is different. America is currently running a very large deficit—about 5.8% of GDP—without the usual crisis justification. The stakes are not instant collapse, but a slower erosion of fiscal capacity, institutional credibility, and the ability to spend on things that could actually improve your life.