Jared Bernstein, 2/8/12

Senior Fellow, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Mitt Romney's got real economists on his team. If he wants to make the case that things would be better if we followed his plan, which is explicitly anti-stimulus on jobs and would liquidate the housing market, let's see the economic model for how it would work.

Carol Pierson Holding, 2/8/12

Writer

US companies may have grown lackadaisical because consumers have stopped using their pocketbook power to influence corporate behavior. If all American consumers care about is price, why should companies focus on anything other than reducing production cost?

Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, 2/8/12

CEO, Green for All

Green jobs pay higher, are more available to those with only a high school degree -- and are growing faster than jobs in the rest of the economy. It's a smart sector in which to invest.

Richard (RJ) Eskow, 2/7/12

Consultant, Writer and Senior Fellow, Campaign for America's Future

Forgery and perjury are serious crimes. It's an even more serious crime to ask others to do it for you.

Gene Marks, 2/8/12

Small business management columnist, author, speaker, and business owner

Let the big names like New York and Chicago host the Olympics and be "world class". I can always visit those places for a day. But create a "world class" school system in my city and I'll have customers (and employees) for life. That's what my small business needs.

Charles Duhigg, 2/8/12

Reporter, The New York Times

When marketers influence habits, they influence peoples' self-identity. And so when a group or company does something that doesn't correspond to our core values, it feels like a betrayal.

Dan Solin, 2/7/12

Author of the Smartest series of books

I am fascinated by the way most people invest, because it is demonstrably wrong.

Brian Tolle, 2/8/12

Partner, The Re-Wired Group

It's in the best interest of your VP to find out where he or she can help you navigate challenges that may cause your ship to run aground. But it should be issues where you don't have the muscle to remove the obstacles.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, 2/7/12

U.S. Representative from Ohio's 10th District

We ought to be strengthening the rights of American workers, not weakening them with slickly produced, misleading ads.

Gordon Whitman, 2/7/12

Director of Policy, PICO National Network

Large-scale principal reduction is a win-win for homeowners and the economy. It would stabilize housing values and prevent foreclosures, while putting cash in the wallets of struggling families.

Craig Aaron, 2/7/12

President and CEO, Free Press

Now is the time to tell the FCC to ignore all this whining and move forward with its common-sense plans to encourage transparency and accountability.

Brian Merchant, 2/7/12

Freelance writer and editor living

Fossil fuels seem cheap and convenient now, but when we get hit with the true costs -- of a spoiled environment, of missing out on vital future industries like clean energy, of a mounting public health burden, of possible war -- we'll see we were had.

Endeavour Press, 2/7/12

London-based digital publisher

It's likely to get pretty rough over the next few years but if you keep these few simple ideas in mind at least you won't be as surprised as you would have been.

Abigail Caplovitz Field, 2/7/12

Writer and attorney

How can the AGs wink and nod and sign off on a deal that everyone expects will steal billions from investors, including pension funds?

Robert Levin, 2/7/12

Editor-In-Chief, The New York Enterprise Report

State tax auditors are being told to shake down local businesses to generate revenue. And while big businesses have internal tax specialists who can fight unjustified assessments, small businesses often have no choice but to pay since the cost to them of fighting back is so high.

Michael Parrish DuDell, 2/7/12

Managing Editor of GE's @ecomagination, innovation chaser, marketing ninja, Gen Y aficionado, sustainable superstar

No matter what business you're in, there will come a day when you'll be forced to sit someone down for a good old fashioned confrontation

Lisa Earle McLeod, 2/7/12

Keynote speaker; Author, 'The Triangle of Truth'

A purpose is a concrete reason to get out of bed in the morning. It's how you and your company make a difference today. A clearly articulated purpose restores the nobility and meaning to work.