> In a time where economists have a lot of soul searching to do
This might be true, but I don't know that there's been an obviously wrong set of recommendations yet during the coronavirus crisis. Do you have an example?
> the realists are a good place to start
This is almost certainly false - at least if you're including yourself in "realists". Personally, I'd look at the heretical economists first.
It really is just math. Every dollar we waste today on unproductive capacities is a dollar that your children will never have.